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This  book  is  due  at  the  WALTER  R.  DAVIS  LIBRARY  on 
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DATE                           RET 
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1999 

■ 

THE  FIRST  AFRICAN  BAPTIST  CHURCH,  SAVANNAH,  GA. 
Front  View,  from  Franklin  Square. 


HISTORY 


first 


OF   THE 


FS 


FROM 


ITS  ORGANIZATION. 


JANUARY  20th,  1788,  to  JULY  1st,  1888. 


INCLUDING    THE 


'    ) 


BY  REV.   K.   K.   LOVE,   D.   D 


S&» '*"»'* 


C>/\  [Copyright,  1888,  by  Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  Author.] 

SAVANNAH,  GA.: 
THE  MORNING  NEWS  PRINT. 


TO  THE  OFFICERS  AND  MEMBERS 

OF    THE 

FIRST  AFRICAN  BAPTIST  CHURCH, 
FRANKLIN  SQUARE,  SAVANNAH,  GEORGIA, 

This  work  is  affectionately  dedicated  by  your  affectionate  Pas- 
tor, as  a  slight  token  of  his  appreciation  of  the  uniform  kind- 
ness, tender  sympathy  and  profound  consideration  he  has  re- 
ceived at  their  hands  during  a  delightful  pastorate  of  three 
years. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


http://archive.org/details/historyoffirstafOOIove 


INTRODUCTION. 


I  have  been  asked  to  introduce  this  work  to  the  public.  In 
Georgia  and  Alabama,  where  the  author  is  known  both  as  a 
speaker  and  writer,  nothing  from  his  versatile  pen  needs  intro- 
duction. An  hundred  years  have  passed — most  of  these  years 
were  spent  in  hardships  and  sore  tribulations  to  our  poorr 
ignorant,  down-trodden  race.  Our  race  has  acted  nobly  and 
done  many  things  that  were  highly  commendable  of  the  race,, 
but  no  record  was  kept  of  them  and  hence  it  went  without  say- 
ing that  the  race  had  done  something  worthy  of  praise.  This  is 
still  true.  We  have  many  grand  men,  eloquent  and  learned 
men,  in  our  pulpits  that  nothing  is  known  of  them  except  in 
their  immediate  communities.  This  will  always  be  so  until 
we  have  a  well  conducted  press  of  our  own  and  bring  out  our 
own  men,  or  do  as  Dr.  Love  has  done — write  their  history. 

The  white  press  was  never  intended  to  praise  and  elevate  the 
negro.  They  do  not  spend  their  money  for  that  purpose.  The 
white  press,  if  it  means  no  ill  will  to  the  negro,  it  means  eleva- 
tion to  the  white,  and  to  support  the  long  believed  theory  that 
the  negro  is  inferior  to  the  white  man.  A  press  that  believes-, 
this  can  not  elevate  both  races.  With  such  prejudice  the  negro- 
has  been  contending  and  struggling  to  rise,  under  adverse  cir- 
cumstances through  the  vicissitudinous  cycles  of  an  hundred? 
years.  Our  race  fought  with  unseen  weapons,  but  multipotent. 
They  were  guided  by  an  unseen  hand,  but  that  hand  was  the 
hand  of  the  mighty  God  of  Jacob.  There  is  no  other  cogent 
reason  that  can  be  given  for  success  or  even  our  existence  un- 
der so  unfavorable  circumstances.  We  have  come  thus  far 
guided  by  nothing  we  knew  of  the  past,  with  no  adequate  con- 
ception of  the  present,  and  no  training  which  would  enable  us 
to  compare  the  past  and  present  to  form  anything  like  an 
intelligent  idea  of  what  the  future  would  reveal.  Our  race 
during  the  hundred  years  that  have  passed  was  profited  very 
little  by  the  history  of  their  noble  men,  for  it  was  not  written. 
If  it  had  been  written,  however  meagre,  it  would  have  inspired 
others  to  like  and  even  nobler  deeds.  Hence,  we  should  wel- 
come this  work  into  our  homes  and  give  it  a  careful  perusal. 
It  is  well  calculated  to  edify  and  delight  every  careful  reader. 
The  men  who  are  referred  to  in  this  work,  many  of  them,  lie 


B  Introduction. 


in  unknown  graves.  To  the  world  many  of  their  great  deeds 
are  unknown.  Their  eventful  and  eminently  useful  lives  are 
not  written  by  the  historian,  but,  blessed  consolation,  they  are 
known  of  Him  who  hath  said:  "I  know  thy  works,  and  thy 
labor,  and  thy  patience,  and  how  thou  canst  not  bear  them 
which  are  evil :  and  thou  hast  tried  them  which  say  they  are 
apostles,  and  are  not,  and  hast  found  them  liars.  And  hast 
borne,  and  hast  patience,  and  for  my  name's  sake  hast  labored, 
and  uot  fainted."     Rev.  ii,  2-3. 

He  keeps  the  record  of  His  saints.  Although  no  marble 
shaft  nor  towering  monument  mark  the  place  where  many 
negro  heroes  lie,  yet — 

"God,  their  Redeemer,  lives, 
And  often  from  tbe  skies, 
Looks  down  and  watches  all  their  dust 
Till  He  shall  bid  it  rise." 

They  have  scattered  seeds  of  kindness  in  tears,  and  sweat, 
and  blood,  and  God  has  taken  cognizance  of  all.  Our  blessed 
Jesus  has  said:  "I know  thy  work:  behold,  I  have  set  before 
thee  an  open  door,  and  no  man  can  shut  it :  for  thou  hast  a 
little  strength,  and  hast  kept  my  word  and  hast  not  denied  my 
name."— Rev.,  iii,  8.  There  is  an  open  door  of  usefulness  of 
abundant  entrance  into  the  inviting  fields  of  christian  activity, 
intelligent  christian  work  and  devout  consecration  to  the  ser- 
vice of  God  in  lifting  up  fallen  mankind  to  heaven  and  God. 
What  our  fathers  accomplished  under  adverse  circumstances  is 
but  thunder-peals  to  us  to  do  infinitely  more  under  so  favored 
opportunities.  Though  Dr.  Love  complains  that  this  work 
does  not  satisfy  his  own  ambition  of  what  he  feels  ought  to  be 
written  of  the  Baptist  church  which  is  the  mother  church  of 
all  the  churches  in  this  country,  this  work  will  be  very  highly 
appreciated  and  will  be  read  with  profit  and  interest.  It  will 
be  admitted  that  he  has  performed  his  task  well,  and  we  will 
not  despise  the  day  of  small  things.  This  book  justly  claims  to 
be  the  history  of  the  oldest  church  in  the  country.  That  the 
First  African  Baptist  Church  is  the  original  first  church  organ- 
ized at  Brampton's  barn,  January  20th,  1788,  the  reader  will 
decide  irrefutably  true  when  he  has  read  the  book. 

S.  A.  McNEAL, 
Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  State  S.  S.  Convention, 

and  S.  S.  Missionary  of  the  State  of  Georgia. 

The  author  requested  Revs.  C.  T.  Walker,  S.  A.  McNeal,  and  Prof.  R.  R. 
Wright  to  write  the  introduction  of  his  work.  He  thinks  best  to  put  each  of 
their  signatures  after  their  production.  He  is  placed  under  lasting  obligations 
to  them. 


Introduction.  C 


It  is  evident  that  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  in  Savan- 
nah is  the  oldest  colored  Baptist  church  in  America,  and  cer- 
tainly the  oldest  in  Georgia.  We  live  in  an  age  when  such 
erroneous  doctrines  are  sapping  the  foundation  of  revealed 
truth  are  being  propagated,  and  many  are  being  proselyted 
from  the  true  way  for  want  of  light.  It  is  highly  expedient 
that  a  history  of  this  grand  old  church  (the  mother  of  the  col- 
ored Baptist  churches  of  America)  be  written.  Planted  a  cen- 
tury ago,  on  the  fertile  seaboard,  in  tears  and  blood,  under  ad- 
verse circumstances,  tribulations  and  sore  afflictions,  yet  she 
has  been  led  to  a  glorious  success.  This  laudable  undertaking 
of  the  author  to  chronicle  the  deeds  of  the  noble  pioneers,  and 
the  successes  attained  by  the  church,  should  meet  with  the 
most  hearty  approbation  from  every  lover  of  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus. 

The  sufferings  of  Be  vs.  Bryan,  Marshall  and  Campbell  alone 
would  fill  a  volume  much  larger  than  this  one,  in  which  the 
author  has  condensed  a  few  facts  bearing  upon  the  general  his- 
tory of  the  church,  but  for  the  hurried  manner  in  which  he  was 
obliged  to  write  this  work  and  the  limited  means  at  his  com- 
mand. Many  of  the  deacons  deserve  much  more  said  about 
them  than  was,  but  which  was  abridged  for  the  same  reason  as 
that  of  the  pastors. 

The  centennial  sermons  and  papers  delivered  and  read  in 
Savannah  by  the  brethren  celebrating  the  grandest  event  in  the 
history  of  the  colored  Baptists  of  this  country  will  doubtless  be 
read  with  interest  and  profit.  The  sermons  delivered  by  Rev. 
Dr.  Love,  which  appear  in  this  work,  are  printed  because  they 
created  such  a  wide-spread  interest  among  the  people,  touched 
on  such  important  subjects,  and  were  delivered  immediately 
after  his  great  work  as  pastor  begun. 

The  report  of  the  committee  appointed  by  the  Baptist  Con- 
vention of  Georgia,  at  its  session  in  1888,  to  investigate  the 
claim  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  and  the  First  Bryan 
Baptist  Church,  in  Yamacraw,  as  to  priority,  will  impress  the 
readers  of  this  book  as  being  a  very  interesting  document.  The 
declaration  of  the  Baptist  Convention  of  Georgia  that  the  First 
African  Baptist  Church  is  the  banner  church  of  the  State,  and 
the  awarding  of  the  banner  to  the  church,  is  but  justice,  and 
should  meet  the  fullest  approbation  of  every  fair-minded,  intel- 
ligent reader. 

This  work  is  an  important  factor  in  the  history  of  the  negroes, 
and  especially  the  Baptist.  Dr.  Love  has  done  a  praiseworthy 
act  in  getting  the  history  of  the  negro  Baptists  in  this  State, 
and  it  is  believed  that  this  is  but  the  beginning  of  a  more  care- 


D  Introduction. 


ftil,  elaborate  and  accurate  account  of  the  negroes'  doings  in 
church  and  state  in  Georgia.  The  author  has  dealt  with  his. 
subject  with  fidelity  and  ability.  The  photographs  are  arranged 
in  admirable  style. 

The  reader  will  be  impressed  with  the  wise  division  of  this 
sage  church  into  societies,  mission  stations,  as  well  as  dividing 
the  city  of  Savannah  into  wards,  and  appointing  a  deacon  over 
each  ward  to  look  after  the  members  in  said  wards.  By  this 
means  the  church  manages  to  keep  up  with  its  large  member- 
ship. 

Searchers  after  truth  will  be  impressed  with  the  fairness  and 
impartiality  of  the  author.  He  has  not  shunned  to  tell  the 
truth,  and  endeavored  to  put  the  blame  (where  there  was  any) 
where  it  belonged.  This  book  deserves  a  high  place  among  the 
histories  of  the  world  and  the  author  a  prominent  place  in  the 
front  ranks  of  honest  historians.  A  history  that  does  not  tell 
the  truth  will  mislead  for  countless  ages  countless  numbers.  It 
seems  to  be  the  order  of  Divine  Providence  that  men  and 
nations  should  carve  their  own  destiny  and  by  their  own  energy 
and  efforts  rise  in  the  scale  of  usefulness  and  prominence. 

The  time  has  come  when  the  negro  must  make  his  own  his- 
tory, shape  his  own  destiny,  solve  his  own  problem,  act  well  his 
part  in  church  and  state  and  occupj^  a  prominent  place  on  the 
stage  of  progress. 

This  volume  is  submitted  to  the  candid  perusal  of  an  intelli- 
gent public.  As  the  author  has  striven  with  meekness,  gravity 
and  impartiality  to  give  his  people  a  true  history,  it  will  doubt- 
less be  deservedly  esteemed  by  all  who  peruse  it,  and  serve  to 
stimulate  and  inspire  unborn  generations  to  greater  usefulness 
and  purer  lives  of  self-denial. 

The  author  of  this  work  has  been  appointed  to  write  the 
history  of  the  negro  Baptists  of  Georgia.  While  this  work  is 
not  intended  to  be  that  book,  it  may  very  well  be  taken  as  the 
antitype,  and  will  serve  as  an  earnest  of  that  book.  The 
brethren  have  no  fears  of  a  biased  history  from  Rev.  Dr.  Love. 
They  know  him  too  well  for  that.  May  God  bless  this  work  to 
all  who  may  read  it. 

C.  T.  WALKER, 
Pastor  Tabernacle  Baptist  Church, 
Chairman  Executive  Board  State  Baptist  Sunday  School  Convention 

and  Secretary  State  Sunday  School  Convention,  Augusta,  Ga^ 

The  negro  occupies  a  peculiar  place  in  the  drama  of  historical 
life.  For  the  past  three  centuries  his  story  has  been  a  record 
of  trials,  tribulations  and  disappointments,  only  flecked  here 


Introduction.  E 


and  there  by  a  few  deeds  of  individual  daring  and  heroism. 
Whether  in  the  domain  of  story  or  song ;  whether  in  the  arena 
of  battle  or  on  the  forum  of  eloquence,  the  writers  of  the  past 
have  not  accorded  to  their  black  brother  the  dignity  of  an  his- 
torical character.  All  the  literature  of  the  past  has  been  con- 
structed upon  the  basis  and  assumption  that  the  negro  was  not 
only  inferior  to  the  white  man  but  the  white  man's  convenience 
and  tool.  Hence,  almost  every  reference  to  the  negro  race 
found  in  text  or  reference  book  bears  the  ear-marks  and  unmis- 
takable stamp  of  race  prejudice. 

The  histories  of  churches  are  not  exempt  from  the  influence 
and  bias  of  this  hydra-headed  monster,  race  prejudice.  There 
is,  however,  a  growing  desire  not  only  among  the  colored  peo- 
ple themselves  but  among  the  general  public  for  any  accurate, 
unbiased  historical  information  with  reference  to  the  colored 
people.     The  world  wants  the  truth. 

The  history  of  the  past  makes  it  reasonable  to  conclude  that 
whether  in  general  or  special  history  an  impartial  record  of  the 
life  and  achievement  of  the  negro  will  not  be  written  until  it  is 
written  by  men  of  his  own  race. 

It  must  be  gratifying  to  all  lovers  of  the  race  to  know  that 
there  are  springing  up  in  various  sections  of  the  Union  some 
very  capable  colored  historians.  Indeed,  their  works  are  not  only 
respectable  in  number  but  highly  creditable  in  the  ability  dis- 
played and  in  the  facts  presented.  While  it  would  be  hardly 
safe  to  say  that  the  history  of  the  negroes'  deeds  and  doings 
has  been  fully  written,  yet  it  is  extremely  pleasant  to  feel  that 
each  year  adds  to  the  many  worthy  and  valuable  attempts  that 
will  before  long  make  up  a  complete  history  of  our  race. 

When  that  history  is  complete  there  will  be  in  black  and 
white  ample  vindication  of  the  dignity  and  usefulness  of  a  race 
which  has  done  more  and  suffered  more  for  mankind  than  has 
yet  been  accredited  to  them  in  the  histories  of  the  past. 

No  doubt  the  author  of  this  book  had  in  mind  some  such 
thoughts  as  are  written  above  in  presenting  to  the  public  this 
history  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church.  The  author  has 
certainly  yielded  to  and  satisfied  a  long-felt  necessity  for  a  full 
and .  accurate  history  of  what  is  now  very  generally  acknowl- 
edged to  be  the  oldest  colored  Baptist  church  in  this  country. 

The  marked  ability  and  wide  and  accurate  learning  of  Dr. 
Love  are  an  earnest  of  the  fact  that  the  book  is  a  valuable  addi- 
tion to  the  literature  of  the  race. 

R.  R,  WRIGHT. 
Principal  Ware  High  School  and 

Editor  Weekly  Sentinel,  Augusta  Ga. 


THE  FIRST  AFRICAN  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 
Side  View,  on  St.  Julian  Street. 


CONTKNTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 


The  Baptism  of  Rev.  Andrew  Bryan,  his  "Wife,  Hagar  and 
Kate— The  Organization  of  the  Church — The  Persecution  of 
Mr.  Bryan — He  Purchased  his  Liberty — The  Purchase  of  a 
Church  Site  in  Yarnacraw — The  Organization  of  the  Second 
African  and  Ogeechee  Baptist  Churches — The  Deed  of  First 
African  Baptist  Church  made  to  a  Board  of  Trustees— A 
Copy  of  the  Deed 1 

CHAPTER  II. 

The  Church  from  1818  to  1832— Not  much  is  known  of  the 
Church  from  1788  to  1818— The  Great  Trouble  of  1832— Mr. 
Marshall  Influenced  by  the  Preaching  of  Alexander  Camp- 
bell— The  Church  is  Expelled  from  the  Suusbury  Associa- 
tion— The  Split  of  the  Church 7 

CHAPTER  III. 

The  Continuation  of  the  Trouble — The  Third  African  Baptist 
Church  enters  the  Association  in  1833  with  155  Members — 
The  First  African  Baptist  Church  Retains  her  Identity — 
The  First  African  Baptist  Church  Endeavors  to  come  under 
the  Supervision  of  the  White  Baptist  Church,  but  is  Re- 
fused— The  Compromise  and  Settlement  of  the  Trouble — 
The  Organization  of  the  Third  African  Baptist  Church — 
The  Purchase  of  the  Site  at  Franklin  Square — Mr.  Mar- 
shall's Deposition  from  the  Pastorate — His  Restoration 10 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Continuation  of  the  Trouble — The  Split  and  how  it  was  Con- 
ducted— The  Numbers  each  Party  had — The  155  Received 
Letters  of  Dismission  and  Organized  the  Third  African 
Baptist  Church— The  Third  African  Baptist  Church  Changed 
its  Name  to  First  Bryan  Baptist  Church — Various  Commit- 
tees from  the  White  Baptist  Church  Labored  with  the  Two 
Contending  Parties — Appeals  to  the  Trustees,  the  Mayor, 
and  other  Strategies  Resorted  to 18 

CHAPTER  V. 

Rev.  Mr.  Marshall  Re-instated — His  Church  back  under  the 
Supervision  of  the  White  Baptist  Church — The  Committee 
from  the  White  Baptist  Church  Insisted  upon  it  that  Rev. 
Marshall  should  not  be  Pastor — They  are  Outgeneraled  by 
him — Disaffection  in  the  Third  African  Church 25 


Contents. 

CHAPTER  VI.  page 

The  First  African  Baptist  Church  Trying  to  Re-enter  the  Asso- 
ciation— She  Finally  Enters— Her  Identity  Traced  from 
1788  to  1838,  a  Period  of  Fiity  Years— She  was  Expelled  as 
First  African  Baptist  Church,  1832,  and  Restored  as  First 
African  Baptist  Church,  1837 28 

CHAPTER  VII. 

The  New  Site  at  Franklin  Square — The  Purchase— New  Build- 
ing— More  about  Rev.  Marshall — His  Efforts  to  get  Money 
to  Build  the  Church  Edifice— His  Trip  North— His  Death 
at  Richmond,  Va. — Rev.  Campbell  takes  up  the  Work — He 
Appoints  a  Building  Committee  and  Completes  the  Church 
Edifice 31 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Rev.  George  Leile — His  Work  in  Savannah  and  Departure  for 
Jamaica — His  Work  in  Jamaica — His  Letters  to  Dr.  Rippons.     34 

CHAPTER   IX. 

Rev.  Andrew  Bryan — His  Baptism — His  Troubles — His  Pastor- 
ate— His  Ministry  and  Death 38 

CHAPTER  X. 

Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall — His  Conversion  and  Baptism — Con- 
tradiction in  his  History — His  Troubles— His  Celebrity — 
His  Great  Influence— His  Long  Pastorate,  and  Death 41 

CHAPTER   XL 

Rev.  William  J.  Campbell — His  Long  and  Useful  Life— A  King 
among  his  People — His  Ministry — Great  Trouble — His  Bap- 
tism— Called  to  the  Pastorate — His  Troubles — The  Com- 
mencement of  the  Trouble  of  1877 57 

CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Trouble  of  1877— The  Cause— Its  Fierceness— The  Split— 
The  Call  of  Rev.  Gibbons — The  Death  of  Rev.  Campbell, 
and  the  Final  Settlement — Something  Concerning  Mr. 
Campbell's  Early  Troubles 60 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Rev.  George  Gibbons — His  Call,  Pastorate  and  Death 82 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Rsv.  E.  K.  Love — His  Call — Installation — Pastorate — His  Ser- 
mons—The Improvements  of  the  Church  under  his  Admin- 
istration       85 


Contents. 


CHAPTER  XV.  page 

Dr.  Love's  Administration — The  Enlargement  of  the  Church 
Edifice — The  Manner  of  Work — The  Centennial  Clubs  and 
Civic  Societies — What  they  did — The  Return  of  the  Gib- 
bons' Place  Society — The  Children's  Church — Rev.  Camp- 
bell's Monument 141 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

The  Societies  of  the  Church — Their  Membership— The  Value  of 
their  Property  and  Condition 149 

Rev.  C.  H.  Lyons'  Sermon  and  the  Presentation  of  the  Banner 
to  the  Church 152 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Something  about  the  Deacons 161 

Deacon  Adam  Johnson — His  Eventful  Life 163 

Deacons  Adam  Sheftall,  Jack  Simpson  and  Robert  McNish.  164 

Deacons  W.  J.  Campbell  and  J.  M.  Simms 165 

Deacons  Murry  Monroe  and  Patrick  A.  Glenn 167 

Deacons  James  Richard,  Friday  Gibbons  and  George  Gibbons  168 

Deacon  C.  L.  DeLamotta .. 169 

Deacon  David  Mcintosh 171 

Deacon  F.  M.  Williams 172 

Deacons  Richard  Baker  and  John  Nesbit 173 

Deacon  Robert  P.  Young 174 

Deacon  Pompey  H.  Butler 175 

Deacon  Peter  Williams 176 

Deacon  March  Haynes 177 

Deacon  James  H.  Hooker 178 

Deacon  L.  J.  Pettigrew 179 

Deacon  Joseph  H.  Williams 180 

Deacon  John  H.  Brown 181 

Deacon  Willis  Harris 182 

Deacons  John  C.  Habersham  and  Peter  Houston 183 

Deacon  Moses  L.  Jackson 185 

Deacons  Alexander  Rannair  and  R.  H.  Johnson 186 

Deacon  E.  C.  Johnson 187 

Deacon  F.  J.  Wright 188 

Rev.  James  I.  Sevorres 189 

Mr.  W.  G.  Clark 190 

Brethren  John  E.  Grant  and  C.  H.  Ebbs 191 

Mrs.  M.  M.  Monroe 192 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

The  Centennial    Celebration    of   the    Church — The    Sermons, 

Papers,  etc 193 

Report  of  Special  Committee  on  the  Priority  of  the  Church 198 

The  Welcome  Address,  by  Dr.  Love 202 

The  Introductory  Sermon,  by  Rev.  C.  T.  Walker 206 

A  Centennarian  at  the  Celebration — Mrs.  Mary  Jackson 217 

Baptist  Doctrine,  by  Rev.  S.  A.  McNeal 219 


Contents. 


CHAPTER  XVIII.— Concluded.  page 

History  of  the  Colored  Baptists  of  Georgia,  by  Rev.  G.H.  Dwelle.  226 

Baptist  Church  History,  by  Rev.  W.  H.  Tillman,  Sr 231 

The  History  of  the  Baptist?,  by  Rev.  Levi  Thornton 236 

The  Wants  of  the  Colored  Ministry,  by  Rev.  Dr.  W.  H.  Mcin- 
tosh   239 

The  Wants  of  the  Colored  Ministry,  by  Rev.  Alexander  Ellis...  245 

The  Wants  of  the  Colored  Ministry,  by  Rev.  W.  G.  Johnson 249 

The  Relation  of  the  White  and  Colored  Baptists,  by  Rev.  T.  J. 

Hornsby 253 

The  Relation  of  the  White  and  Colored  Baptists,  by  Rev.  G.  S. 

Johnson 257 

The  American  Baptist  Publication  Societv  and  its  Work  for  the 

Colored  People,  by  Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  D.  D 261 

The  American  Baptist  Sub-Society  and  its  Work  for  the  Colored 

People,  by  Rev.  N.  W.  Waterman 264 

The  Bible  as  Believed  by  Baptists,  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Bryan 267 

The  Bible  as  Believed  by  Baptists,  by  Rev.  G.  M.  Spratling 269 

The  Qualification  and  Dignity  of  the  Ministry,  by  Rev.  Charles 

H.  Brightharp 272 

The  Duty  of  Baptists  to  Home  Missions,  by  Rev.  E.  J.  Fisher...  276 

The  Evils  of  Intemperance,  by  Rev.  S.  D.  Rosier 277 

Are  we  Advancing  as  a  Denomination  ?  by  Prof.  M.  P.  McCrary.  280 
The  Duty  of  the  Pastor  to  the  Church,  by  Rev.  J.  W.  Dunjee....  284 

The  Duty  of  the  Church  to  the  Pastor,  by  Prof.  Isaiah  Blocker 287 

The  Duty  of  the  Church  to  the  Pastor,  by  Deacon  R.  H.  Thomas...  292 
What  is  our  Duty  to  tbe  Institutions  of  the  Country  ?   by  Prof. 

H.  L.  Walker 295- 

The  Importance  of   Pure   Baptist  Literature,   by  Rev.  E.  P. 

Johnson 301 

The  Work  and  Purity  of  the  Church,  by  Rev.  Henry  Jackson...  303 
Money  as  a  Factor  in  Christianizing  the  World,  by  Rev.  W.  R. 

Pettiford 306 

Baptist  Church  Government,  by  Rev.  J.  L.  Dart 310 

A  Letter  from  Dr.  Tucker 321 

The  Act  of  Baptism,  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Kilpatrick,  D.  D..... 327 

No  Royal  Road  to  Church  Prosperity,    by  Rev.  J.  H.  Kilpat- 
rick, D.  D 341 

The  Duty  of  Parents  to  Sunday  Schools,  by  Prof.  James  Ross...  356 
Conclusion,  by  the  Author .". 358 


^PREFACE-^ 


The  rnany  clouds  that  have  been  thrown  around  the  history 
of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  of  Savannah  by  designing 
men  to  rob  this  time-hallowed  church  of  her  pristine  honor  and 
present  glory,  makes  it  necessary  to  set  in  order  the  facts  con- 
nected with  the  history  of  the  several  negro  Baptist  churches 
in  Savannah,  that  the  unfairness  of  the  iFirst  Bryan  Baptist 
Church,  formerly  the  "  Third  African  Church,"  in  contending 
that  she  is  indeed  the  original  First  African  Baptist  Church, 
may  be  seen.  These  facts  will  be  set  forth  so  plainly  that  it 
will  not  require  a  philosopher  to  understand  the  truth  in  the 
case.  The  fact  that  the  First  Biwan  Baptist  Church,  organized 
some  time  in  the  last  of  1832  or  first  of  1833,  as  '"The  Third 
African  Church,"  has  had  on  the  20th  of  January,  of  the 
present  year,  a  so-called  centennial  celebration,  and  gave 
it  to  the  world  that  they  were  the  "First  African  Baptist 
Church"  of  Savannah,  and  that  all  other  churches  sprang 
forth  from  them,  makes  it  proper  that  this  work  should 
go  forth  burdened  with  irrefutable  proof  in  vindication  of  the 
truth  of  history.  While  the  author  shall  state  facts,  and  sim- 
ply facts,  which  will  show  that  their  claim  is  false,  and  that 
they  know  it  better  than  they  appear  to  know  their  names,  he 
shall  do  so  in  the  most  possible  friendly  spirit,  with  the  hope  of 
reclaiming  his  erring  brethren. 

The  First  African  Baptist  Church  has  had  a  most  eventful  and 
checkered  career.  She  has  endured  indescribable  suffering  and 
has  been  wonderfully  blessed  and  preserved  by  a  hand  divine. 
The  first  pastor,  Rev.  Andrew  Bryan,  was  whipped  until  his 
blood  dripped  freely  upon  the  ground,  for  no  other  crime  than 
that  he  preached  Jesus  and  him  crucified  to  the  poor  negroes; 
but  he  continued  to  preach  Jesus,  and  God  continued  to  bless  his 
humble  preaching  to  Africa's  sable  sons  and  daughters.  The 
more  this  church  was  persecuted  the  more  she  grew  and  thrived. 
From  four  converts  (Rev.  Andrew  Bryan,  Hannah  Bryan,  his 
wife,  Kate  and  Hagar,)  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  be- 
gun its  eventful  career.  This  church  was  organized  with  67 
members  by  Rev.  Abraham  Marshall  (white),  on  the  20th  day 
of  January,  1788,  at  Brampton's  barn,  three  miles  southwest 
of  Savannah.      This  work  contains  the  cuts  of  Rev.  Andrew 


iv  Preface. 

Bryan,  Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall,  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell,  Rev. 
George  Gibbons,  and  Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  present  pastor ;  also, 
some  of  the  deacons  of  the  church.  The  author  acknowledges 
the  incalculable  service  Benedict's  History  of  the  Baptists  in 
America  has  rendered  him  ;  Holcombe's  Repository,  furnished 
by  Dr.  Tucker ;  The  Minutes  of  the  Sunsbury  Baptist  Associa- 
tion, furnished  by  Rev.  L.  C.  Tebeau,  and  the  Minute  Books  of 
the  Savannah  Baptist  Church  (white),  furnished  by  Rev.  J.  E. 
L.  Holmes,  D.  D.  The  author  would  acknowledge  with  un- 
feigned pleasure  the  priceless  help  that  Rev.  Alexander  Harris 
has  given  him.  The  First  African  Baptist  Church  is  placed 
under  lasting  obligation  to  Rev.  Harris  for  guiding  the  author 
in  his  pursuit  after  the  truth  of  history  in  the  labyrinthal 
mazes  of"  the  long  ago.  But  for  him  the  author  would  not  have 
known  where  to  have  searched  for  the  facts  pertaining  to  this 
church.  In  the  Providence  of  God  we  have,  as  nearly  as  possi- 
ble, a  connected  history  of  our  church,  with  but  two  broken 
links,  through  Rev.  Alexander  Harris,  from  its  organization. 
Rev.  Marshall  and  Deacon  Adam  Johnson  lived  in  the  days  of 
Rev.  Andrew  Bryan,  from  whom  they  gathered  all  the  facts, 
and  Rev.  Harris  lived  in  the  days  of  Rev.  Marshall  and  Deacon 
Johnson,  from  whom  he  gathered  all  of  the  facts,  and  your 
humble  servant,  the  author,  lives  in  the  days  of  Rev.  Harris. 
from  whom  he  has  gathered  the  facts,  and  now  writes  the  truth  of 
history  as  it  has  come  down  from  the  beginning,  thus  bringing  to 
us  the  truth  of  history  pretty  much  as  we  receive  the  truth  of 
Divine  Revelation.  Rev.  A.  Harris  is  a  wonderful  man,  with 
a  memory  simply  astonishing.  It  seems  that  God  has  spared 
him  for  just  this  purpose.  ISTo  living  man  is  as  well  prepared 
to  give  the  truth  of  the  doings  of  the  Baptists  in  these  parts  as 
Rev.  Harris,  and  a  more  candid,  conscientious,  truthful  man 
never  lived.  We  are  indebted  to  Rev.  Harris  for  a  copy  of  the 
deed  and  much  documentary  proof,  which  we  herein  present. 
It  will  hardly  be  questioned  that  Benedict's  History  nor  Dr. 
Holcombe's  Repository  contains  all  the  facts  of  the  history  of 
this  church.  Neither  can  we  expect  to  learn  all  from  the  Minute 
Books  of  the  Savannah  Baptist  Church  (white),  nor  the  minutes 
of  the  Sunsbury  Association.  We  must  learn  some  from  those 
who  lived  in  that  day.  This  is  just  the  way  all  other  histories 
are  gotten  up.  The  verbal  statements  which  we  have  gathered 
from  the  old  members  who  lived  in  those  days  can  no  more  be 
ruled  out  than  our  recollection  of  things  which  transpired  un- 
der our  observation  long  ago.  There  is  no  more  reason  to  sup- 
pose their  memory  at  fault  than  ours.  Hence  we  have  taken 
pains  to  draw  from  our  old  brethren  and  sisters  such  informa- 


Preface.  v 

tion  as  they  had  in  their  possession,  and  their  knowledge  of 
men  and  things  about  whom  and  which  we  have  undertaken 
to  write.  We  shall  feel  confident  that  our  mistakes  will  be 
viewed  with  a  charitable  eye,  and  our  imperfection  graciously 
passed  by.  The  public  is  asked  to  consider  our  laborious  task 
before  criticising  us  harshly.  This  work  is  sent  forth  to  the 
public  with  the  humble  prayer  of  the  author  that  it  may  do 
great  good,  and  may  set  in  order  the  facts  for  more  skilled  pens 
than  ours  to  give  to  the  Baptists  of  Georgia  a  more  interesting 
and  accurate  history  of  themselves.  The  author  takes  pleas- 
ure in  the  fact  that  those  who  may  subsequently  undertake 
this  task  will  not  be  put  to  it  as  he  has  been  for  information. 

Praying  the  blessings  of  Almighty  God  upon  this  humble 
effort,  I  am, 

Yours  in  Gospel  bonds. 

EMAXUEL  KIXG  LOYE. 


HISTORY 

OF    THE 

FIRST  AFRICAN  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 


CHAPTER  1. 


The  First  African  Baptist  Church  was  organized  on  the  20th 
day  of  January,  1788,  at  Brampton's  barn,  three  miles  west  of 
Savannah,  by  Rev.  Abraham  Marshall  (white )  and  Jesse  Peter 
(colored).  The  first  fruit  of  this  beginning  was  Andrew  Bryan, 
Hannah  Bryan  (his  wife),  Hagar  and  Kate.  These  four  Chris- 
tians formed  a  nucleus  around  which  the  Baptist  denomination 
twined  in  Savannah  and  in  Georgia. 

Just  here  we  insert  an  extract,  as  taken  from  Dr.  Henry 
Holcombe's  Analytical  Repository,  published  in  Savannah,  Ga., 
in  1802: 

"  The  first  ordained  minister  of  color  who  came  among  these 
people  was  George  Leile,  who  was  liberated  by  Mr.  Henry 
Sharp,  of  Burke  county,  and  is  now  the  pastor  of  a  large  church 
in  Kingston,  Jamaica.  During  the  short  time  he  was  in  this 
city  he  baptized  Cate,  an  African  woman,  the  property  of  Mrs. 
Eunice  Hogg,  Andrew,  his  wife  Hannah,  and  Hagar,  belonging 
to  the  venerable  Mr.  Jonathan  Bryan.  The  three  former  have 
honorably  obtained  their  freedom,  and  live  comfortably;  in 
fact,  Andrew's  estate  is  worth  upward  of  five  thousand  dollars. 
Hagar  is  yet  alive.  By  the  joint  and  zealous  efforts  of  these 
poor,  illiterate  slaves,  it  is  rationally  hoped,  a  concern  was 
awakened  for  the  salvation  of  precious  souls  which  has  pro- 
duced many  happy  effects;  and  of  what  extent  or  continuance 
the  salutary  fruits  of  their  feeble  exertions  may  eventually  be 
is  beyond  the  power  of  calculation. 

"Like  a  city  that  is  set  on  a  hill  and  cannot  be  hid,  soon 
after  they  began  to  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  and  stir 
one  another  up  to  love  and  to  good  works,  they  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  community,  and  Andrew,  commonly  called 


2  History  of  the  First 


Andrew  Bryan,  with  numbers  of  his  followers,  was  whipped 
and  imprisoned  as  means  of  putting  a  stop  to  their  proceedings. 
But  they  found  advocates  and  patrons  among  very  respectable 
and  influential  characters,  and,  by  well-doing,  at  length  dis- 
armed and  silenced  their  bitterest  persecutors. 

"At  this  period  Andrew  began  to  learn  to  read,  and  obtained 
leave  of  his  worthy  master  to  occupy  his  barn  as  a  place  of 
worship,  at  Brampton,  about  three  miles  from  Savannah. 
Here  he  publicly  and  to  great  numbers  endeavored  to  preach ; 
and  for  two  years,  with  very  little  interruption,  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  showing  that  'Godliness  is  profitable  unto  all  things.' 

"By  this  time  their  affairs  were  known  to  religious  indi- 
viduals at  a  considerable  distance ;  and,  as  destitute  of  any  one 
authorized  to  administer  the  sacred  ordinances,  they  were 
visited  bjr  the  late  Be  v.  Thomas  Burton,  who,  on  a  creditable 
profession  of  their  faith,  baptized  eighteen  of  Andrew's  hearers. 
They  expressed  much  gratitude  to  Mr.  Burton  for  his  instruction 
and  other  assistance,  went  on  their  way  rejoicing,  and  showed 
increased  solicitude  to  be  still  more  perfectly  instructed  in  the 
things  of  God. 

"  The  next  visit  they  had  by  an  ordained  minister  was  from 
the  Rev.  Abraham  Marshall,  who,  accompanied  by  a  young 
preacher  of  color,  Jesse  Beter,  not  only  baptized  forty  more  of 
Andrew's  congregation;  but,  on  the  20th  of  January.  1788,  con- 
stituted them  a  church  and  ordained  him  to  both  preach  the 
gospel  and  administer  its  sacred  ordinances  to  their  proper 
subjects. 

"  Soon  after  being  thus  systematized  on  the  gospel  plan,  the}r 
were  permitted  to  build  a  large  house  of  worship  on  the  suburbs 
of  Savannah  and  to  serve  God  as  they  pleased  on  the  Lord's 
day,  from  sun  to  sun.  In  this  situation  their  number  as  a 
church  rapidly  increased,  and  all  suspicions  of  their  being- 
influenced  by  unworthy  motives  have  long  given  place  to  an 
esteem  of  their  humble  virtues.  They  have  several  gifted  men 
among  them,  and  the  mother  church  has  enlarged  her  bounda- 
ries by  the  constitution  of  two  sable  daughters — one  consisting 
of  two  hundred  members,  on  the  26th  of  December,  1802,  under 
the  denomination  of  the  Second  Colored  Baptist  Church  en 
Savannah;  the  other,  comprehending  two  hundred  and  fifty,  on 
the  2d  of  January  1803,  called  the  Ogeechee  Colored  Baptist 
Church ;  the  former  to  be  supplied  by  Henry  Cunningham,  who 
was  ordained  to  the  Avork  of  the  ministiy  on  January  1st,  1803  ;  2?  2J 
the  latter  by  Henry  Frances.  Diminished  by  these  constitu-  £&.  Cj 
tions,  the  First  Colored  Baptist  Church  in  this  city,  still  under 
the  pastoral  care  of  the  aged  and  pious  Andrew  Bryan,  consists 


African  Baptist   Church. 


of  but  four  hundred  members.  They  have  divine  services  three 
times  every  Sunday,  and  the  Lord's  Supper  quarterly.  On 
each  of  these  occasions,  for  the  three  last  years,  they  have 
received  by  baptism  from  ten  to  sixty-four  souls." 

Great  was  the  suffering  of  the  pioneers  of  our  denomination 
in  this  city.  But  under  this  terrible  persecution  this  church 
thrived  and  was  greatly  blessed  of  God. 

The  Second  African  Baptist  Church  is  her  first  offspring, 
which  is  now  a  flourishing  church  with  nearly  two  thousand 
members.  There  has  nearly  always  existed  between  these  two 
churches  the  most  friendly  feelings.  Many  families  of  worth 
and  intelligence  are  equally  divided  between  the  First  African 
and  Second  African  churches.  To-day  the  wives  of  three  of 
the  Deacons  of  the  First  Church  belong  to  the  Second  Church. 
In  very  many  cases  the  wife  and  some  of  tbe  children  belong 
to  one  church,  and  the  father  and  some  of  the  children  belong- 
to  the  other.  This  interchange  of  families  in  tbe  two  churches 
form  almost  a  demand  for  the  pastors  of  the  two  churches  to  be 
on  friendly  terms.  The  First  Church  has  had  untold  suffering. 
At  times  she  has  been  compelled  to  suspend  service.  Her  doors 
were  more  than  once  closed  by  the  civil  authorities.  God 
always  brought  them  out  by  raising  up  some  white  man  as  an 
instrument. 

The  church  bought  the  present  site  on  which  the  First  Bryan 
Baptist  Church  building  now  stands  the  3d  of  July,  1797.  The 
property  was  sold  by  Bev.  Andrew  Bryan  to  a  board  of  trustees 
for  the  First  African  Baptist  Church,  of  which  he  was  pastor, 
and  had  been  for  nine  years  and  six  months.  He  sold  the  land 
to  white  trustees,  because  it  was  not  lawful  for  negroes  to  hold 
such  property.  We  present  here  a  copy  of  the  deed,  which  we 
are  sure  will  be  interesting  to  our  readers. 

GEORGIA. 

This  Indenture,  made  the  third day  of  July,  in  the  jTear 

of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety-seven, 
and  of  the  independence  of  the  United  States  of  America  the 
twenty-first,  between  Andrew  Br}Tan,  a  free  black  man  and  a 
preacher  of  the  gospel  by  lawful  authority  ordained,  of  Sa- 
vannah, in  the  State  aforesaid,  of  the  one  part,  and  Thomas 
Polhill,  William  Mathews,  David  Fox  and  Josiah  Fox 

That  the  said  Andrew  Bryan,  for  and  in  consideration  of  the 

sum  of  thirty  pounds  sterling  money 

to  him  in  hand,  well,  and  truly,  paid  b}r  the  said  Thomas  Pol- 
hill,  William  Mathews,  David  Fox  and  Josiah  Fox,  at  or  be- 


Jf.  History  of  the  First 


fore  the  sealing  and  delivering  of  these  presents,  the  receipt 
whereof  is  hereby  acknowledged,  he,  the  said  Andrew  Bryan, 
Hath  granted,  bargained,  sold,  aliened,  conveyed  and  confirm- 
ed, and  by  these  presents  Doth  grant,  bargain,  sell,  alien,  con- 
vey and  confirm  to  the  said  Thomas  Polhill,  William  Mathews, 
David  Fox  and  Josiah  Fox,  and  the  survivor  and  survivors  of 
them,  and  to  such  successor  and  successors  as  may  be  appointed 


to  and  for  the  use  of  the  Baptist  Church  of  blacks  at  Savan- 
nah, in over  which  the  said  Andrew  Bryan  now 

does  and  for  some  time  past  has  presided  as  pastor  and  minis- 
ter, one  equal  moiety  being  the  half  of  all  that  lot  of  land  (most 
part  of  the  said  lot)  situate,  lying  and  being  at  Yamacraw, 
above  the  city  of  Savannah  aforesaid,  known  by  the  number 
seven  (7)  in  the  village  of  St.  Gall,  fronting  Bryan  or  Ording- 
sells  street,  containing  ninety-five  feet  in  front  and  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-two  feet  and  one-half  in  depth,  bounded  west 
and  south  by  land  of  the  late  Dr.  Zubly,  deceased,  East  on  a 
lot  late  Richard  Williams,  deceased,  and  North  on  the  main 
street  leading Yamacraw  to brick  meeting- 
house  with  the  meeting-house  thereon   erected  and 

standing  on  all  and other  the  houses,  out 

premises  and  appurtenances  whatsoever  to  the  same  belonging 
or  in  anywise  appertaining,  which  said  lot  was  bought  by  Wil- 
liam Bryan  and  James  Whitefield,  as  trustees  to  and  for  the 
use  of  the  said  Andrew  Bryan,  from  one  Mathew  Motts  and 
Catharine,  his  wife,  by  deed  of  bargain  and  sale  bearing  date 
the  fourth  day  of  September,  in  the  year  one  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  ninety-three,  and  purchased  by  the  said  Mathew 
Motts  of  and  from  one  Thomas  Norton  and  Tamar,  his 
wife,  in  and  by  a  certain  deed  of  bargain  and  sale  to  him 
duly  executed,  bearing  date  the  twenty-first  day  of  June,  in  the 
year  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety-two,  all  of  which 
by  the  said  several  deeds,  reference  being  thereunto  had,  will 
more  fully  and  at  large  appear,  together  with  the  meeting- 
house or  building  for  public  worship  thereon  erected,  and  being 

and  all  and  singular  the  heredita ,  rights,  members  and 

appurtenances  whatsoever  to  the  same  belonging,  or  in  any- 
wise appertaining,  and  the  reversion  and  reversions,  remainder 
and  remainders,  rent,  issues  and  profits  thereof,  and  of  every 

part  and  parts the  estate, 

title,  interest,  claim  and of  him,  the 


African  Baptist   Church. 


said  Andrew,  of,  in  and  to  the or  half  part 

of  the  lot  above  described,  and  the  premises  hereinbefore  men- 
tioned and  intended  to  be  hereby  bargained  and  sold  nnto  the 
said  Thomas  Polhill,  William  Mathews,  David  Fox  and  Josiah 
Fox,  and  every  part  and  parcel  thereof,  and  on  the  death  or 
decease  of  any  or  either  of  the  said  Thomas  Polhill,  William. 
Mathews,  David  Fox  or  Josiah  Fox,  to  which  successor  or  suc- 
cessors, as  they  or  a  majority  of  the  survivors  shall  appoint. 
In  trust,  nevertheless,  to  and  for  the  only  proper  use,  benefit 
and  behalf  of  the  said  Baptist  congregation  of  blacks  at  Savan- 
nah, now  and  for  some  time  past  under  the  direction  and  care 
of  the  said  Andrew  Bryan,  forever.  And*  it  is  hereby  under- 
stood and  declared  to  be  the  intention  of  the  parties  to  these 

presents  that  the  said  lot  and  building 

invested  in  the  said  Thomas  Polhill,  Williani  Mathews,  David 
Fox  and  Josiah  Fox,  and  the  successors  as  aforesaid,  for  the 
sole  use  and  purpose  of  the  public  worship  of  God  by  the  soci- 
ety of  blacks,  of  the  Baptist  persuasion,  and  for  no  other  use  or 
purpose  whatsoever ;  that  on  the  death  or  decease  of  any  or 
either  of  the  above-named — Thomas  Polhill,  William  Mathews. 
David  Fox  or  Josiah  Fox — the  survivor  or  survivors  may  and 
shall  within  one  year  thereafter  nominate  and  appoint  a  suc- 
cessor or  successors  in  the  room  of  such  deceased  trustee,  which 
successor  or  successors  so  appointed  as  aforesaid  shall  be  con- 
sidered as  a  party  to  these  presents  for  the  uses  and  purposes 
hereby  mentioned  and  intended.  And  the  said  Andrew  Bryan 
and  his  heirs,  the  \said  half  lot  of  land  and  premises,  and 
every  part  and  parcel  thereof,  unto  the  said  Thomas  Polhill, 
William  Mathews,  David  Fox  and  Josiah  Fox,  and  their  suc- 
cessors to  be  appointed  as  hereinbefore  directed,  for  the  uses 
and  purposes  as  hereinabove  set  forth  against  him  the  said 
Andrew  Bryan  and  his  heirs,  and  against  all  and  every  person 
or  persons  whatsoever  shall  and  will  Warrant  and  forever  de- 
fend by  these  presents. 

In  Witness  whereof  the  said  parties  to  these  presents  have 
hereunto  set  their  hands  and  affixed  their  seals  the  day  and 
year  first  above  written. 

his 

[l.  s.]  ANDREW-f  BRYAN. 

mark. 

Signed,  sealed  and  delivered  in  the  presence  of 


(Note.^) — The  word  (five)  immediately  after  the  word  (ninety) 
in  the  first  page  between  the  sixteenth  lines,  and  also  the  word 
(half)  immediately  after  the  words  (the  said)  in  the  second 


6  History  of  the  First 


page  between  the  eighteenth  and  nineteenth  lines,  were  both 
interlined  previous  to  the  execution  hereof.  In  the  presence  of 
ns. 

HARRISON, 


ELIAS  ROBERTS. 


City  of  Savannah. 
That  the  within  deed  was  signed,  sealed  and  delivered  by 
Andrew  Bryan  for  the  use  therein  is  attested  on  both  by 

ELIAS  ROBERTS. 


Sworn  to  before  me  on  the  30th  August,  1797. 

HENRY  PUTNAM. 


Received  the  day  and  year  first  within  written  the  sum  of 
thirty  pounds  sterling  money,  being  the  consideration  money 
as  is  within  specified  to  be  paid  to  me. 
I  say  Received. 

his 
ANDREW+BRYAN. 
Witness:  mark. 

HARRISON, 

ELIAS  ROBERTS. 

Dated  the  3d  day  of  July,  1797. 

ANDREW  BRYAN, 

To 
THOMAS  POLHILL, 
WILLIAM  MATHEWS, 
DAYID  FOX,  and 
JOSIAH  FOX. 


Bargain  and  Sale 

of  Lot  No.  7  in 
Yamacraw,  Village 
of  St.  Gall. 
Consideration,  £30. 

MOSES  CLELAND, 
EDWARD  COPPEE, 
JOSIAH  PENFIELD. 

The  blanks  in  the  above  deed  are  caused   by  the  worn  condition  and 
pieces  of  paper  broken  out  in  the  creases.    The  deed  is  very  old. 


African  Baptist   Church. 


CHAPTER  II. 

The  Church  from  1818  to  1832. 

Not  much  is  known  of  the  church  from  1788  to  1818.  em- 
bracing a  period  of  thirty  years  that  comparatively  nothing  is 
known  of  this  grand  body.  The  Savannah  Baptist  Church  nor 
the  Sunsbury  Association  seem  to  have  been  careful  about  pre- 
serving records.  We  are  indebted  to  Holcombe's  Repository 
for  facts  preceding  1818.  He  informs  us  that  the  Second  African 
Baptist  Church  was  organized  the  26th  of  December,  1802.  with 
200  members,  and  that  it  went  out  from  the  First  African  Bap- 
tist Church.  The  Ogeechee  African  Baptist  Church  was  organ- 
ized also  from  this  church  January  2d,  1803,  with  250  mem- 
bers. Rev.  Henry  Cunningham,  who  was  ordained  January 
1st,  1803,  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Second  African 
Baptist  Church,  and  Rev.  Henry  Frances  was  called  to  the 
pastorate  of  the  Ogeechee  African  Baptist  Church.  The  First 
African  Baptist  Church  was  represented  in  the  Sunsbury  Asso- 
ciation (white)  in  November,  1818,  by  Adam  Johnson  and  Jo- 
siah  Lloyd.  The  total  membership  was  1712.  At'  this  time 
there  were  only  two  colored  churches  in  the  city,  viz.,  First 
African  and  Second  African.  At  the  session  held  at  Hines' 
meeting-house,  Effingham  county,  in  November,  1819,  no  dele- 
gates from  the  church  appear,  nor  is  the  church  mentioned. 
At  the  session  held  with  the  Savannah  Baptist  Church,  Novem- 
ber, 1820,  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  was  represented  by 
Adam  Johnson  and  Adam  Shuftall.  The  total  membership 
was  1836.  At  the  session  held  November,  1821,  at  the  Baptist 
meeting-house,  Upper  Black  Creek,  Effingham  county,  the  First 
African  Baptist  Church  was  represented  by  Evans  Great.  The 
total  membership  was  1916.  At  the  meeting  of  the  associa- 
tion, November,  1822,  at  New  Port,  Liberty  county,  Ga..  the 
First  African  Baptist  Church  was  represented  by  Adam  Shuf- 
tall and  Evans  Great.  The  total  membership  does  not  appear. 
At  the  meeting  of  the  association  held  at  Powers'  Church,  Ef- 
fingham county,  November.  1823,  the  First  African  Church 
was  represented  by  A.  Shuftall  and  Jack  Simpson.  Total 
membership  was  1888.  At  the  session  held  at  Sunsbury,  Lib- 
erty county,  November,  1824,  the  First  African  Baptist  Church 
was  represented  by  A.  Shuftall  and  A.  Johnson.  The  total 
membership  was  1912.     At  the  session  held  at  New  Providence 


History  of  the  First 


nieeting-house,  Effingham  county.  November,  1825,  the  First 
Church  was  represented  by  A.  C.  Marshall,  A.  Johnson,  A.  Shuf- 
tall  and  Jack  Simpson.  The  total  membership  was  1886.  At 
the  session  held  at  Salem  meeting-house,  Chatham  county,  No- 
vember, 1826,  the  delegates  were  A.  C.  Marshall,  A.  Johnson,  A. 
Shuftall  and  Jack  Simpson.  At  the  session  held  at  New 
Hope  meeting-house,  November,  1827,  the  First  African  Bap- 
tist Church  was  represented  by  A.  C.  Marshall,  A.  Johnson  and 
Jack  Simpson.  The  total  membership  was  2,275.  At  the  ses- 
sion held  at  the  Litlle  Canoochie  Church,  Liberty  county, 
November,  1828,  the  delegates  were  A.  C.  Marshall,  J.  Clay  and 
C.  Ross.  The  total  membership  was  2,311.  The  session  held 
at   Newington   Baptist    Church,   Screven    county,   November, 

1829,  the  First  African  Church  was  represented  by  A.  C.  Mar- 
shall, J.  Clay  and  C.  Ross.     Total  membership,  2,357. 

At  Power's  meeting-house,   Effingham   county,    November, 

1830,  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  was  represented  by  A. 
C.  Marshall,  J.  Clay  and  Jack  Simpson.  The  total  membership 
was  2,417.  At  the  session  held  with  the  Savannah  Baptist 
Church,  November,  1831,  the  First  Church  was  represented  by 
A.  C.  Marshall,  A.  Johnson,  Jack  Simpson  and  S.  Whitfield. 
The  total  membership  was  2,795. 

During  1832  a  terrible  confusion  broke  out  in  this  grand  old 
body.  Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall  led  a  part  of  the  church  his 
way,  and  Deacon  Adam  Johnson  led  the  other  part  his  way. 
The  trouble  started  because  Rev.  Marshall  seems  to  have  been 
influenced  by  one  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell's  preaching,  who 
visited  Savannah  about  this  time.  Deacon  Adam  Johnson 
opened  war  on  Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall.  Deacon  Adam 
Johnson  and  Rev.  Marshall  had  been  life-long  friends,  living 
together  as  twin  lambs.  They  were  both  influential  and  great. 
When  these  two  men  met  as  opponents  the  result  was  fearful. 
Two  lambs  had  turned  upon  each  other  with  all  the  strength 
and  fury  of  lions,  and  the  cause  of  Christ  suffered  greatty  by 
this  unfortunate  affair.  Because  of  this  trouble  the  church  sent 
no  delegates  to  the  association  in  1832.  The  Second  African 
Baptist  Church  is  the  only  colored  church  that  was  represented 
from  Savannah  at  that  session.  If  it  is  claimed  that  the  First 
Bryan  Baptist  Church  is  the  oldest  church  in  this  city,  we  ask 
where  was  she  then? 

We  have  no  disposition  to  justify  Rev.  A.  C.  Marshall  for 
adhering  to  the  doctrines  preached  by  Alexander  Campbell, 
nor  to  deny  that  he  did  do  so,  but  our  inquiry  is  after  the 
original  church  organized  in  1788.  We  have  traced  it  up  to 
1832  as  the  First  African  Baptist  Church,  under  the  leadership 


African  Baptist   Church.  9 

of  Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall.  Our  object  will  be  to  ascertain 
if  it  continued  to  exist,  and  in  what  manner  and  under  what 
name. 

At  the  session  of  the  association  held  at  AValthourville,  No- 
vember 9th  and  10th,  1832,  a  resolution  was  adopted  appoint- 
ing "Brethren  Jones,  Southwell,  J.  S.  Law,  Harmon  and  Fur- 
man  to  investigate  a  difficulty  existing  in  the  First  African 
Church  of  Savannah."  Notwithstanding  she  was  in  trouble  she 
was  known  as  "the  First  African  Church  of  Savannah."  These 
were  dark  and  stormy  days  for  this  old  ship  on  the  high  seas. 
Her  existence  was  threatened,  but  she  was  sustained  by  an 
unseen  hand,  and  that  hand  was  divine.  The  Almighty  God 
plead  her  cause,  and  she  sailed  majestically  once  more  upon  a 
placid  sea,  with  her  snowy  sails  unfurled,  kissing  the  pleasing 
breezes,  bidding  defiance  to  her  enemies,  and  in  their  hearing, 
with  humble  joy,  sung  triumphantly  "Deliverance  will  come." 

The  committee  appointed  to  investigate  the  difficulty  existing 
in  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  of  Savannah  reported : 

"  Your  committee,  after  a  serious  consideration  of  the  painful 
and  difficult  task  assigned  them,  would  present  your  body  the 
following  resolutions  as  the  result  of  their  consideration : 

"  Resolved,  That  we  approve  highly  of  the  recommendation 
of  the  Council  of  Ministers  that  was  called,  viz.,  that  A.  C. 
Marshall  be  silenced,  and  we  concur  in  the  opinion  that  he  be 
silenced  indefinitely. 

" Resolved,  That  the  First  African  Church,  as  a  member  of  this 
association,  on  account  of  its  currupt  state,  be  considered  as 
dissolved,  and  that  measures  be  adopted  to  constitute  a  new 
church  as  a  branch  of  the  white  Baptist  Church.* 

" Resolved,  That  we  advise  our  colored  brethren  in  the  country, 
now  members  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  in  Savannah , 
to  take  letters  of  dismission,  and  either  unite  themselves  with 
neighboring  churches  of  our  faith  and  order,  or  to  be  constituted 
into  seperate  churches,  "f 

In  the  same  resolutions  the  Second  African  Church  of  Savan- 
nah was  complimented  for  its  Christian  deportment,  and  a  copy 
of  the  resolutions  ordered  transmitted  to  the  Mayor  of  Savan- 
nah. 

At  this  session,  therefore,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  association 

*When  the  First  Bryan  Baptist  Church,  then  the  Third  African  Church,  en- 
tered the  association  in  1833,  it  did  so  as  "  Third  African  Church,"'  and  not  as 
"  First  African."    Whence  this  claim  ? 

f  This  new  church  was  the  Third  African  Baptist  Church,  now  the  First 
Bryan  Baptist  Church.  It  is  strange  that  it  does  not  claim  even  the  name,  but 
now,  as  always,  they  themselves  have  recognized  the  First  African  Baptist,  at 
Franklin  Square,  as  First  African  Baptist  Church. 


10  .    History  of  the  First 


adopted  resolutions  considering  the  First  African  Church  as 
dissolved.  Let  us  see,  as  we  go  along,  if  it  was  dissolved.  Even 
in  those  terrible  days  of  slavery  everything  our  white  brethren 
considered  as  being  so.  was  not  necessarily  so ;  note,  they  did 
not  dissolve  the  church,  but  considered  it  as  dissolved.  It 
appears  that  they  did  not  attach  much  importance  to  this  con- 
sideration, for  in  the  same  resolutions  they  advised  that  mem- 
bers of  the  First  African  Church  should  take  letters  of  dismis- 
sion and  either  join  other  Baptist  churches  or  form  other  Bap- 
tist churches.  If  the  First  African  Church  was  dissolved 
because  of  its  currnpt  state,  how  could  it  give  letters  of  dismis- 
sion? It  recpiires  no  difficulty  to  see  that  this  bears  inconsist- 
ency on  its  face.  We  do  not  find  at  this  session  any  other 
church  taking  the  place  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church. 
We  have  her  up  to  her  expulsion  from  the  Sunsbury  Associa- 
tion as  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  of  Savannah. 


CHAPTEB  III. 

The  First  African  Church  of  Savannah  in  "War  with  Herself, 

with  the  Savannah  Baptist  Church  (White),  and 

with  the   Sunsbury  Association. 

We  have  already  referred  to  Bev.  Alexander  Campbell,  who 
visited  Savannah  about  this  time,  whose  elocpient  and  profound 
sermons  had  telling  effect  upon  the  mind  of  Bev.  Andrew  C. 
Marshall,  who  partially,  if  not  very  largely,  accepted  the  doc- 
trine of  Mr.  Campbell  and  proclaimed  his  views.  Deacon 
Adam  Johnson,  who  was  a  very  close  thinker  and  well  versed 
in  the  scriptures,  took  exception  to  this  new  departure  from 
the  old  land-marks.  This  kindled  a  fire  that  was  not  soon  nor 
easily  put  out,  but  which  burned  with  a  furious  destruction  for 
five  weary  years. 

The  "Third  African  Church"  entered  the  association  for  the 
first  time  in  the  session  of  November,  1833,  at  Cowpen  Branch 
Baptist  Church.  Effingham  county,  It  was  represented  by  T. 
Anderson,  A.  Johnson  and  Jack  Simpson,  with  a  membership 
of  155.  This  was  the  time  and  place  that  "  The  Third  African 
Church"  joined  the  association.  In  the  minutes  of  the  associa- 
tion for  1833  we  read,  "Application  was  made  by  the  Third 
African  Church  to  become  a  member  of  this  association. 
Granted  by  a  unanimous  vote."  In  the  minutes  of  the  same 
session  a  resolution  was  adopted  as  follows : 


African  Bajotist   Church.  11 

"Resolved,  That  this  association  approves  of  the  conduct  of 
S.  Whitfield,  Joe  Clay  and  others  who  separated  from  the  First 
African  Church,  and  recommend  them  to  the  fellowship  of  all 
the  churches." 

Notwithstanding  the  First  African  Church  was  expelled  and 
declared  corrupt  and  considered  as  dissolved,  she  still  existed 
and  was  styled  and  called  the  First  African  Church  hy  even 
those  who  expelled  her  and  considered  her  as  dissolved.  Truly, 
what  God  has  blessed  no  man  can  curse. 

Notwithstanding  the  Sunsbury  Association,  by  the  recom- 
mendation of  the  Savannah  Baptist  Church  (white),  passed 
resolutions  condemning  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  as 
being  corrupt,  and  considered  it  as  dissolved ;  they  sold  to  the 
First  African  Baptist  Church  their  house  of  worship  as  First 
African  Baptist  Church  after  this,  and  received  81,500  in  pay- 
ment from  the  First  African  Baptist  Church,  and  acknowledged 
payment  accordingly. 

In  the  conference  of  the  Savannah  Baptist  Church,  Novem- 
ber 18,  1832,  is  the  following  resolution : 

"Resolved,  That  a  committee  be  appointed  to  suggest  the  best 
mode  to  this  church  of  taking  under  their  care  the  First  African 
Church,  and  to  report  at  the  next  discipline  meeting.'' 

Though  the  First  African  Church  is  considered  as  dissolved, 
a  committee  is  appointed  to  consider  the  best  way  of  takiug  her 
under  the  supervision  of  the  white  Baptist  Church.  This  is  an 
acknowledgment  that  the  church  did  exist.  This  committee 
reported  December  24,  1832,  as  follows : 

"The  committee  appointed  to  devise  plans  for  the  reception 
of  the  First  African  Church  as  a  branch  of  this,  reported  that 
they  could  not  recommend  any. 

"  Resolved,  That  they  be  dismissed. 

"A  petition  of  from  three  to  four  hundred  members  of  the 
First  African  Church  was  offered,  in  which  they  requested  to 
become  a  branch  of  this  church.  After  considerable  discussion 
it  was  resolved  not  to  receive  them  on  the  conditions  they  pro- 
posed, but  such  alterations  were  made  in  their  application  as 
the  church  thought  advisable,  and  it  was  agreed  that  if  they 
would  offer  to  place  themselves  under  the  supervision  of  a  com- 
mittee whom  they  would  choose  out  of  this  church,  then  such 
a  measure  would  be  agreed  to  b}^  this  body." 

Those  who  are  now  claiming  to  be  the  original  First  African 
Baptist  Church  were  then  called  the  minority  of  the  First 
African  Church,  for  we  find  in  the  minutes  of  the  Conference 
of  Savannah  Baptist  Church  (white),  December  24,  1832,  the 
following : 

2 


12  History  of  the  First 


"An  application  was  made  that  the  minority  of  the  First 
African  Church  be  received  as  a  branch  of  this  church,  when  it 
was  decided  that  it  was  proper  that  they  first  be  formed  into  a 
church,  and  afterward  could  come  under  the  supervision  of  a 
committee,  as  also  the  Second  African,  should  they  wish  to 
do  so.?' 

January  4th,  1833,  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  ad- 
dressed the  following  letter  to  the  Savannah  Baptist  Church 
(white): 

"We,  the  subscribers  of  the  First  African  Church,  do  solicit 
the  aid  and  protection  of  our  brethren,  the  Baptist  Church  of 
Savannah.  We  propose  to  come  under  the  supervision  of  a 
committee  of  your  body,  provided  you  will  receive  us  on  the 
terms  and  conditions  following : 

"1st.  That  we  be  independent  in  our  meetings;  that  is,  that 
we  receive  and  dismiss  our  own  members,  and  elect  and  dismiss 
our  own  officers,  and,  finally,  manage  our  own  concerns  inde- 
pendently ;  however,  with  this  restriction — in  case  any  measure 
is  taken  by  us  which  shall  seem  to  militate  against  our  good 
standing  as  a  church  of  Christ  we  shall  submit  it  to  a  com- 
mittee of  five  members,  whom  we  shall  choose  out  of  the  Baptist 
Church  in  Savannah,  whose  counsel  we  bind  ourselves  to  follow, 
provided  it  be  not  contrary  to  the  precepts  of  the  Gospel. 

"2d.  We  agree  to  hold  no  meetings  for  discipline  or  other 
purposes  until  we  have  duly  notified,  by  writing,  one  member 
of  the  Baptist  Church,  selected  by  said  church,  to  be  present, 
and  agreeing  not  to  pursue  any  measure  such  delegated  mem- 
ber shall  deem  improper  until  we  shall  have  had  council  of  the 
above-named  committee. 

"3d.  We  agree  to  relinquish  to  the  minority  of  this  body  all 
our  right  and  title  to  the  old  church  so  soon  as  they  shall  agree 
to  give  up  and  do  relinquish  to  us  all  right  and  title  to  the 
newly-purchased  one,  and  when  we  are  put  in  full  and  free 
possession  of  it,  and  our  trustees,  viz.,  William  H.  Stiles,  Peter 
Mitchell  and  John  Williamson,  shall  satisfy  us  that  they  have 
good  and  sufficient  titles. 

"4th.  We  agree  to  dismiss  all  members  and  such  as  have 
been  members  of  our  church,  that  they  may  either  join  another 
or  form  a  new  Baptist  Church,  and  as  soon  as  such  church 
shall  be  satisfied  with  and  receive  them  then  they  shall  be  dis- 
missed from  us. 

"5th.  And  we  oblige  and  bind  ourselves  by  these  presents 
that  whenever  we  break  any  covenant  above  named,  then,  on 
proof  thereof,  we  herein  empower  our  trustees  to  shut  up  our 


African  Baptist  Church.  13 

church  and  cause  us  to  desist  from  public  worship  until  we 
fully  submit  to  the  advice  of  our  committee." 

This  petition  was  received  with  ''a  small  alteration  in  the 
second  article,  and  was  accepted  as  the  kind  of  connection 
which  might  exist  between  this  church  and  the  First  African 
Church."  Here,  it  will  be  observed,  that  the  Third  African 
Baptist  Church  is  not  yet  organized.  In  the  minutes  of  the 
Conference  of  the  Savannah  Baptist  Church  (white),  January 
28,  1833,  is  the  foUowing: 

u  Resolved,  That  inasmuch  as  the  minority  of  the  First  Afri- 
can (now  the  Third)  Church  have  conformed  to  the  require- 
ments of  this  church  in  constituting  themselves  into  a  church, 
be  received  under  the  supervision  of  this  body  upon  the  same 
terms  as  the  First  African  Church." 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  Third  African  Church  was  organized 
between  December  24th,  1832,  and  January  28th,  1833.*  For 
in  the  conference  of  December  24th,  1832,  the  Third  African 
Church  was  then  called  the  minority  of  the  First  African 
Church,  and  was  refused  admittance  into  the  Savannah  Baptist 
Church  (white)  until  they  should  be  formed  into  a  church. 
And  in  the  conference  of  January  28th,  1833,  the}'  were  re- 
ceived as  Third  African  Baptist  Church.  This  being  the  only 
condition  (that  they  would  form  themselves  into  a  church) 
upon  which  they  would  be  received  by  said  church  as  required  by 
the  conference  of  December  24th,  1832.  In  1833  delegates  were 
appointed  by  the  Savannah  Baptist  Church  to  visit  the  First 
African  Church.  Notwithstanding  the  First  African  Baptist 
Church  was  received  under  the  supervision  of  the  Savannah 
Baptist  Church,  trouble  kept  brewing  in  its  midst  like  a  smold- 
ering volcano;  and  July  22d,  1833,  the  Savannah  Baptist 
Church  decided  that  "It  was  thought  advisable  in  consequence 
of  the  disorderly  conduct  of  the  First  African  Church  not  to 
appoint  delegates  to  visit  them  this  month." 

Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall  was  well  acquainted  with  Baptist 
church  government,  and  though  he  was  a  negro  and  had  to 
succumb  to  his  white  brethrens'  wish  in  everything  else,  he 
stubbornly  and  manfully  refused  to  yield  the  freedom  and  inde- 
pendence of  a  Baptist  church.  And  his  people  stood  by  him, 
and  God  raised  up  friends  for  him.  The  Second  Baptist  Church 
had  more  of  the  fear  of  the  white  man  and  perhaps  more  of 
the  fear  of  God.  The  following  communication  will  bear  out 
that  fact: 

*  It  is  quite  clear  that  the  "  Third  African  Church"  was  organized  in  January, 
1833,  and  is  therefore  only  55  years  old. 


lJf.  History  of  the  First 


"THE    SECOND  AFRICAN    CHURCH  TO    THE   SAVANNAH    BAPTIST. 

"  Dear  Brethren — We  have  witnessed  with  sincere  regret 
the  many  serious  difficulties  which  have  for  many  months  ex- 
isted among  some  of  our  colored  churches,  and  which  have 
tended  to  destroy  our  harmony  and  remove  from  us  the  relig- 
ious privilege  which  we  now  so  richly  enjoy.  And  we  have 
regarded  with  approbation  the  efforts  our  white  brethren  have 
made  to  secure  to  us  the  permanent  possession  of  our  present 
enjoyment.  We  are  decidedly  of  the  opinion  that  great  advan- 
tage will  arise  to  the  colored  churches  by  their  being  under  the 
protection  and  supervision  of  the  white  church.  We  do,  there- 
fore, respectfully  request  that  the  Second  African  Church  may 
be  taken  under  the  care  of  your  body  in  such  manner  as  shall 
by  you  be  considered  expedient. 

"  Very  sincerely  yours  in  the  Gospel, 

"[Signed]  HENRY  CUNNINGHAM. 

"  Savannah,  23d  June,  1833. 

"Isaac  Mooter,  William Furguson, 

"Licensed  Preacher,         William  Rose, 
"  Hannibal  Briton ,  John  Cox, 

"  John  Deveaux,  Isaac  Robert, 

"Edenborough  Fleming." 

The  Second  Church  made  no  conditions  upon  which  they 
would  be  accepted.  They  left  everything  with  their  white 
brethren.  They  were  received  most  unanimously,  of  course. 
Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall  insisted  upon  the  right  of  a  church ; 
that  if  it  had  the  right  to  be  a  church  it  should  be  governed  by 
the  New  Testament  and  acknowledge  no  master  but  Christ  the 
Lord  ;  that  if  the  church  could  not  be  a  New  Testament  church 
it  should  not  be  at  all.  Having  right  on  his  side  it  is  not  a 
wonder  that  he  conquered  and  made  ardent  admirers  of  his 
bitterest  enemies. 

The  First  African  Baptist  Church  at  this  time  is  again  walk- 
ing alone.  The  white  Baptist  Church  has  again  refused  to 
recognize  her,  but  she  marches  right  along,  winning  souls  for 
heaven  and  God. 

January  25th,  1833,  the  officers  of  the  First  African  Church 
met  a  committee  of  the  Savannah  Baptist  Church  ^  white)  and 
asked  the  following  questions : 

1.  What  duties  are  proper  that  A.  Marshall  shall  perform  in 
the  church  at  this  time? 

2.  Has  an}^  thing  been  done  since  they  have  occupied  the 


African  Baptist   Church.  15 

new  building  and  come  under  }Tour  supervision  which  the  com- 
mittee think  improper  ? 

3.  "Would  the  committee  recommend  that  the  First  African 
Church  call  Jack  McQueen  (who  is  licensed  by  the  city  author- 
ities) to  become  its  preacher  ? 

To  the  first  the  committee  advise  that  Andrew  Marshall 
should  not  go  into  the  pulpit  and  preach,  nor  administer  the 
ordinance  of  baptism,  nor  the  Lord's  supper,  but  that  there  is 
no  objection  to  his  leading  in  prayer  and  exhorlation  in  any 
meeting  when  such  measure  is  consented  to  by  the  delegated 
brother.  That  there  is  no  objection  to  his  making  pastoral 
visits,  marrying,  attending  funerals  and  extending  the  right 
hand  of  fellowship,  when  requested  to  do  so  by  the  church. 

To  the  second  question  the  committee  reply  that  they  are 
gratified  in  receiving  so  good  a  report  from  the  delegated 
brethren,  and  find  no  charge  of  impropriety  against  them. 

To  the  third  question  they  answer,  they  do  not  think  it  their 
business  to  say  who  should  preach  for  the  church,  but  they 
can  see  no  impropriety  in  any  regularly  licensed  brother  preach- 
ing, provided  he  has  liberty  granted  by  the  city  authorities. 
The  committee  advise  that  neither  the  church  nor  any  part  of 
it  do  hold  any  meetings  except  regularly  notified  ones  in  the 
church. 

Signed :  Henry  O.  Wyer,  Thos.  Clark,  W.  W.  Wash,  Holmes 
Tupper  and  D.  Yotee. 

It  is  very  remarkable  that  these  poor  slaves  had  such  inde- 
fatigable Christian  manhood.  Their  whole  deportment  seemed  to 
have  said  to  their  white  brethren :  "Whether  it  be  right  in  the 
sight  of  God  to  hearken  unto  you  more  than  unto  God,  judge 
ye."  And  when  the  command  was  made  more  emphatic,  they 
seemed  to  have  answered  more  emphatically:  "We  ought  to 
obey  God  rather  than  men."  In  temporal  things  they  hesitated 
not  to  obey  those  who  had  rule  over  them.  In  spiritual  things 
they  didn't  feel  it  their  duty  to  obey  magistrates,  but  insisted 
upon  worshipping  God  according  to  the  dictates  of  their  con- 
science. They  were  more  consistent  than  their  advisers.  They 
had  been  advised  by  their  white  brethren  that  Rev.  Andrew  C. 
Marshall  might  lead  in  prayer,  give  the  right  hand  of  fellowship), 
exhort,  preach  funerals,  marry  and  visit  the  sick.  Is  not  it  quite 
natural  that  they  would  have  thought  that  if  he  was  competent 
to  do  all  this  that  there  was  no  good  reason  why  he  should  not 
be  their  pastor  ?  And  what  is  more  praiseworthy,  they  had  the 
courage  of  their  conviction.  They  acted  out  what  they  believed. 


16  History  of  the  First 


Hence,  on  the  6th  of  March,  1833,  we  find  the  following  in  the 
minutes  of  the  Savannah  Baptist  Church  (white): 

''The  officers  of  the  First  African  Church  stated  that  it  had 
called  Andrew  C.  Marshall  to  be  its  pastor,  and  that  they  had 
thought  it  best  for  him  to  resume  his  pastoral  duties,  and  wishes 
to  know  the  opinion  of  the  committee  in  relation  to  the  matter. 
After  mature  deliberation,  the  committee  can  see  no  good 
reason  for  changing  the  advice  given  on  a  former  occasion,  and 
refer  the  church  to  their  opinion  given  on  the  25th  of  January." 

But  the  church  had  arisen  in  the  majesty  of  her  might  and 
acted  for  herself.  This  was  as  right  as  it  was  fearless  and  bold. 
It  showed  that  she  had  a  leader  that  was  worthy  of  the  consid- 
eration and  respect  of  all  men.  It  must  be  said  in  praise  of  the 
white  people,  that  while  it  was  in  their  power  to  use  harsh 
means,  and  thus  force  their  wish,  they  did  not  do  so.  They 
exhibited  great  patience,  and  used  only  persuasive  means.  Rev. 
Andrew  C.  Marshall  was  the  bone  of  contention.  The  white 
Baptists  were  opposed  to  his  being  the  pastor,  because  he  had 
entertained  and  expressed  the  views  of  Alexander  Campbell. 
They  were  zealous  about  "  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints." 
But  for  this  great  protest  of  the  Baptists,  white  and  black,  it  is 
quite  likely  that  Rev.  Marshall  would  have  led  thousands  off 
after  Mr.  Alexander  Campbell,  and  Savannah  now,  with  her 
ten  thousand  negro  Baptists,  would  have  been  a  Campbellite 
city,  so  that  even  out  of  this  great  confusion  good  has  come.  The 
officers  of  the  First  African  Church  were  advised  at  one  meeting 
of  the  committee  not  to  call  Rev.  A.  C.  Marshall  as  pastor,  and 
reported  at  the  next  that  they  had  called  him  as  their  pastor, 
giving  as  their  reason  that  they  thought  it  best  that  he  should 
resume  his  pastoral  duties.  This  was  true  manhood;  they 
thought  it  best.  They  must  be  praised  for  contending  for  the 
independence  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  those  dark  days.  At 
this  meeting  the  committee  (white)  agreed  upon  and  reported 
to  the  church  (white)  the  following  (March  22,  1833): 

"The  committee,  after  due  deliberation,  unwilling  to  take 
upon  themselves  the  responsibility  to  advise  that  Andrew  C. 
Marshall  should  resume  his  pastoral  office  in  the  First  African 
Church,  refer  the  matter  to  the  trustees  of  said  church  and  the 
city  authorities.  (Signed)  "H.  O.  WYER, 

"W.  W.  WASH, 
"THOS.  CLARK, 
"  H.  TUPPER, 
"D.  YOTEE, 

''Committee.'' 


African  Baptist   Church. 


It  appears  that  Rev.  Marshall  had  friends  even  among  the 
white  people.  He  was  a  wise,  careful  and  most  wonderful 
planner.  The  carefulness  of  his  plans  is  seen  in  his  success, 
even  when  the  odds  were  against  him.  The  learned  whites 
seem  to  have  been  baffled  by  his  adroitness  and  surpassing- 
executive  ability.  He  influences  H.  Tupper  to  give  him  a  note 
expressive  of  his  consent  for  him  to  enter  upon  his  work  once 
more  which  he  so  much  loved.  H.  Tupper  showed  the  com- 
mittee the  following  note  he  had  given  to  the  pastor  of  the  First 
African  Church,  which  was  not  agreed  to  by  the  balance  of  the 
committee : 

"  I  am  satisfied  there  is  no  good  reason  that  Andrew  C.  Mar- 
shall should  be  withheld  from  the  pastoral  office  of  the  First 
African  Church,  and  I  believe  that  there  is  no  objection  on  the 
part  of  the  other  members  of  the  committee  charged  with  its 
supervision  except  that  which  arises  front  the  public  preju- 
dice against  him.  If,  therefore,  this  can  be  removed,  or 
it  does  not  exist  in  such  a  degree  as  supposed  by  the  committee. 
I  think  he  ought  to  be  restored  as  soon  as  the  church  gets  per- 
mission from  its  trustees  and  the  city  authorities  for  him  to  be 
restored.  But  I  am  constrained  to  add  that  I  verily  fear  the 
public  is  not  in  favor  of  such  a  measure. 

"  Savannah,  March  21st,  1833. 

"(Signed)  "E  TUPPER." 

After  getting  this  note,  Rev.  Marshall  went  to  the  trustees 
(who  were  already  his  friends)  and  obtained  the  following  per- 
mission to  begin  his  work  of  giving  the  bread  of  life  to  his 
people : 

"Permission  of  Trustees. 

"  Savannah,  April  2,  1833. 
"We,  the  trustees  of  the  First  African  Church  of  Savannah, 
knowing  of  no  reason  why  Andrew  C.  Marshall,  the  pastor,  or 
other  deacons  or  officers  of  the  said  church,  should  be  inhibited 
or  interrupted  in  the  exercise  of  all  or  any  of  the  rites,  cere- 
monies or  duties  which  to  them  or  any  of  the  congregation  of 
said  church,  as  disciples  or  seekers  of  Jesus  Christ,  belong,  we 
do  hereby  give  to  them,  to  the  extent  of  our  power,  every  pi'ivi- 
lege  which  as  Christians  they  can  require. 

"(Signed)  "PETER  MITCHELL, 

"WM.  H.  STILES, 

11  Trustees. 

This  gave  the  suffering  pastor  the  rjght  to  enter  the  church 
once  more  as  its  leader.     But  the  trouble  was  not  over. 


18  History  of  the  First 


CHAPTER    IV. 

The  Continuation  of  the  Trouble— More  about  the  Split— The 
Restoration  of  Rev.  Marshall. 

We  have  said  that  the  split  occurred  in  1832,  and  either  the 
last  of  December.  1832,  or  the  1st  of  January,  1833,  the  final 
separation  occurred.  The  trouble  had  been  going  on  many 
months.  The  people  carried  clubs,  brickbats  and  other  such 
implements  of  war  to  the  church  with  them.  There  was  dan- 
ger of  a  fight  in  the  church  at  any  time.  On  one  occasion  they 
had  a  terrible  row  in  the  church,  and  Mayor  Warring  went 
there  with  a  lot  of  brickbats  in  his  buggy  and  threw  them  in 
the  church  and  succeeded  in  running  the  last  one  of  them  out 
of  the  church. 

The  time  had  come  when  a  split  was  inevitable :  it  had  to 
come.  After  many  councils  and  much  deliberation  the  time 
was  set  when  all  of  the  members  must  be  present  and  this 
trouble  settled  in  an  unmistakable  manner.  The  time  came 
when  the  members  (most  of  them)  met.  Rev.  Andrew  C.  Mar- 
shall went  on  one  side  of  the  building,  and  Deacon  Adam 
Johnson  on  the  other.  Then  it  was  said:  "All  who  agree  with 
Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall  go  on  that  side  with  him,  and  all  who 
agree  with  Deacon  Adam  Johnson  go  on  that  side  with  him.-' 
About  one-eighteenth  of  the  members  went  with  Deacon  John- 
son, and  seventeen-eighteenths  went  with  Rev.  Marshall,  for 
the  church  then  numbered  2,795  members.  Out  of  this  number 
155  members  agreed  with  Deacon  Adam  Johnson,  and  the 
remaining  2,640  members  agreed  with  Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall. 
The  question  came  up  that  night  as  to  which  one  should 
take  the  old  name  of  the  church.  Deacon  Johnson,  the  leader 
of  the  155,  said  that  "  There  has  been  so  much  disgrace  con- 
nected with  the  First  African  Church  that  we  don't  want  it. 
Let  them  have  it." 

Subsequent  to  this  Rev.  Marshall  and  the  church  agreed  to 
give  these  dissenters  honorable  letters  of  dismission  if  they 
would  organize  a  church  or  join  other  Baptist  churches.  These 
brethren  were  soon  organized  as  the  Third  African  Baptist 
Church  of  Savannah. 

The  Third  Church  continued  by  this  name  until  1866,  when 
Rev.  Alex.  Harris  (then  a  deacon  of  the  Third  African  Baptist 
Church)  offered  a  motion  to  change  its  name  from  Third  African 
Baptist  to  the  First  Bryan  Baptist  Church,  which  was  agreed 
to.  For  thirty-three  years  she  remained  under  the  name  of  the 
Third  African  Baptist  Church.     During  all  these  years  she  did 


African  Baptist   Church.  19 

not  increase  very  ruuch,  owing,  perhaps,  to  the  prejudice  of  the 
negro  population  because  they  accused  her  of  being  the  cause  of 
all  this  trouble  by  fighting  the  pastor.  Even  to-day  she  has 
not  as  many  members  as  the  Eev.  Marshall  had  fifty-five  years 
ago  when  he  left  the  old  spot.  This  trouble,  perhaps,  more 
than  anything  else,  caused  a  careful  study  of  God's  Word  and 
Baptist  church  usage. 

After  this  settlement,  the  bad  feeling  was  kept  up  between 
the  two  churches  in  first  one  way  and  then  another.  Members 
would  pass  backward  afld  forward ;  when  they  would  fall  out 
with  the  Third  Church  they  would  join  the  First  Church,  and 
when  they  would  get  dissatisfied  with  the  First  Church  they 
would  join  the  Third  Church  ;  and  so  for  years  the  trouble  was 
kept  up. 

We  have  referred  to  the  action  of  the  officers  of  the  First 
African  Baptist  Church  reporting  to  the  committee  of  the  white 
Baptist  Church  that  they  had  called  Bev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall 
to  be  their  pastor.  The  following  is  the  report  of  said  com- 
mittee to  the  Savannah  Baptist  Church,  July  14th,  1833: 

"The  committee  of  the  First  African  Church  finding  that 
they  can  no  longer  be  of  use  to  said  church,  feel  disposed  to 
withdraw  from  it,  unless  it  takes  up  the  charges  which  we  now 
make,  and  act  upon  them  with  promptness  and  decision. 

"1st.  The  compact  or  agreement  entered  into  between  this 
church  and  ours  has  been  violated  in  several  instances  by  hold- 
ing frequent  meetings  without  the  presence  of  a  brother  delegated 
by  our  church. 

"  2d.  This  church  has  disregarded  the  advice  of  their  com- 
mittee in  electing  Andrew  C.  Marshall  to  the  pastoral  charge  of 
the  church,  permitting  his  continuance  in  office  without  the 
sanction  of  the  civil  authorities. 

"3d.  The  prevarication  and  evasion  of  Andrew  C.  Marshall 
respecting  his  faith  and  doctrine  having  been  made  manifest, 
the  committee  have  lost  all  confidence  in  his  character. 

"4th.  The  opposition  of  A.  C.  Marshall  to  be  a  member  of  the 
association,  thereby  virtually  renouncing  the  government  of  the 
Baptist  denomination,  is  esteemed  by  the  committee  a  position 
extremely  dangerous  to  the  vital  interest  of  the  colored  people. 

"5th.  Satisfactory  evidence  that  Andrew  C.  Marshall  has 
fully,  and  now  unequivocally,  adopted  the  views  and  doctrine  of 
Alexander  Campbell,  which  the  committee  considers  destruc- 
tive to  vital  religion,  and  consequently  ruinous  to  any  people, 
and  whieh  our  church  has  denounced  as  heresy. 


20  History  of  the  First 

"  6th.  We  now  call  upon  all  disciples  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  of  the  Baptist  faith  and  order,  in  this  church  to 
come  forward  and  have  their  names  recorded  that  the  com- 
mittee may  use  their  influence  to  restore  them  again  to  the 
association,  but  it  is  hoped  and  expected  that  all  those  of  a 
different  faith  and  order  will  peaceably  withdraw  from  the 
church,  or  that  the  church,  upon  reorganization,  will  proceed 
immediately  to  purge  itself  of  every  disaffected  member. 
"(Signed)  "W.  W.  WASH, 

"  0.  M.  LILLIBRIDGE, 
•<T.  YIKSTILL. 
"T.  DOWELL/' 

Here  was  the  combined  wisdom  and  influence  of  the  master 
against  the  servant's,  learning  against  ignorance,  and  yet  that 
grand  old  man,  Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall,  out-generaled  them 
all  and  held  his  people  as  by  magic.  The  preceding  document 
combined  adroitness  and  learning,  but  the  old  man  was  equal 
to  the  task.  In  it  the  church  is  charged  with  restoring  Andrew 
C.  Marshall  to  the  pastorate  without  consulting  the  civil 
authorities.  What  had  the  civil  authorities  to  do  with  a  Gos- 
pel church  calling  a  Gospel  minister  to  be  their  pastor?  These 
men  ought  to  have  known  that  the  church  was  established  con- 
trary to  the  wish  of  the  civil  authorities.  They  had  Rev.  H.  O. 
Wyer  as  their  pastor  without  consulting  the  civil  authorities. 
Was  their  church  any  more  of  a  church  than  the  First  African 
BaptisfChurch  ?  It  is  surprising  how  far  wrong  men  can  go. 
They  took  this  document  to  the  First  African  Church  and  read 
it  to  the  people  and  made  an  appeal  to  them,  with  the  hope  of 
winning  them  from  Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall,  and  finding 
themselves  foiled  in  this  cunningly  devised  plan,  they  addressed 
the  following  letter  to  the  trustees  of  the  First  African  Church : 

'•Savannah,  July  22,  1833. 
"John  P.    Williams,  Esq.: 

"  Dear  Sir — We  are  constrained  by  a  sense  of  duty  to  request 
that  you  will,  for  a  time,  have  the  First  African  Church  shut 
up  until  the  charges  against  Andrew  C.  Marshall  for  preacn- 
ing  false  doctrine  shall  be  cleared  up  to  all  concerned.  You 
were  present  when  the  charges  were  made;  ycu  heard  the 
defense  set  up  by  Mr.  Dunning,  and  must  admit  that  our 
charge  was  fully  sustained  or  different  religious  denominations 
would  have  been  called  in  to  judge  of  the  correctness  of  our 
views.  A  thousand  souls  are  at  stake  and,  we  think  it  a  mat- 
ter of  too  much  importance  to  be  neglected,  and  as  the  power 


African  Baptist   Church. 


is  vested  in  us  to  make  this  demand  we  do  so  in  deference  to 
you,  sir,  but  we  cannot  recognize  the  authority  of  Mr.  Dun- 
ning, or  any  other  self-made  Trustee,  to  interfere  in  this  matter. 
We  believe  in  a  few  weeks,  by  shutting  up  the  church  now. 
that  matters  can  be  satisfactorily  settled  by  all  parties.  We 
appeal  to  you  not  only  as  a  Christian  but  as  a  large  property 
holder  to  aid  us  in  checking  false  doctrine  among  our  slaves. 
We  are,  sir,  with  great  esteem, 

"  Your  obedient  servants. 
"(Signed)  "W.  W.  WASH. 

"THOS.  DO  WELL, 
"O.  M.  LILLIBBIDGE, 

"  Committee.'1' 

Things  were  now  getting  serious.  The  committee  having 
failed  in  their  carefully  devised  plans  to  break  Rev.  Marshall *s 
hold  upon  the  hearts  of  his  people,  now  appeal  to  the  Trustees 
of  the  church  with  whom  the  power  of  closing  the  church  rested. 
But  God  prevented  this  consummation  and  used  Mr.  Williams 
as  his  instrument  to  defend  his  cause  and  to  protect  this  old 
Zion.  His  answer  was  wise  and  manly.  God  used  the  man 
as  an  instrument  to  protect  His  church.  The  man  was  not 
himself  aware  of  the  great  good  he  was  doing  for  the  church 
of  Christ  and  his  enslaved  servants.  God  has  always  reserved 
servants  for  special  work.  This  man  by  nature  was  no  more 
of  a  friend  to  this  church  than  those  who  urged  that  it  be 
closed,  but  God  had  him  in  hand. 

The  following  is  his  able  and  remarkable  reply.  This  was 
wonderfully  strange  to  the  committee  of  the  church  under  the 
circumstances : 

"  Savannah,  July  26th,  1833. 
"To  Messrs.  W.  W.  Wash,  Thomas  Dowell  and  Oliver  M.  Lillibridge : 

"Sirs — I  yesterday  received  your  communication  of  the  22d 
instant,  at  which  I  acknowledge  my  surprise  as  well  from  the 
singular  and  extraordinary  request  you  make  to  shut  up  the 
First  African  Church,  as  also  from  the  fact  that  you  gave  the 
Trustees  to  understand  (on  the  Sunday  they  saw  you  at  the 
church)  your  duty  as  a  committee  had  been  discharged,  and 
therefore  you  had  nothing  further  to  engage  your  attention 
respecting  the  situation  of  the  First  African  Church.  Thus 
much  for  my  surprise  at  the  contents  of  your  letter. 

"  I  must  now  be  allowed  to  say  that  I  am  far  from  acknowl- 
edging your  charge  against  Andrew  C.  Marshall  for  preaching 
false  doctrine  was  established  or  supported  in  the  least'  particu- 


History  of  the  First 


lar,  unless  your  simple  assertion  is  to  be  received  as  proof,  for 
it  was  manifest  to  all  present  that  you  did  not  produce  one 
testimony  from  the  Scriptures  or  otherwise  to  support  your 
views,  and  how  you  can  with  a  due  regard  to  propriety,  state 
that  '  our  charge  was  fully  sustained,'  I  have  yet  to  learn,  and 
so  far  foreign  from  my  construction  of  duty  as  a  Trustee,  and 
of  the  plainest  principle  of  the  Gospel,  is  your  request  to  '  shut 
up  the  First  African  Church '  that  I  consider  it  incumbent  on 
me,  in  connection  with  the  other  Trustees,  to  see  the  church  kept 
open  in  order  to  afford  Andrew  C.  Marshall,  and  the  church  of 
which  he  is  pastor,  the  privilege  of  worshipping  God  to  the 
best  of  their  knowledge ;  and  it  is  the  deliberate  intention  of 
the  Trustees  to  maintain  them  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  all  the 
rights  and  religious  privileges  which  the  laws  of  our  countrj'- 
entitle  them  to  receive. 

"  I  am  aware  that  comparisons  are  sometimes  odious,  yet 
circumstances  sanction  their  use,  for  it  is  proper  to  inform  you 
that  the  remark  you  made  of  Mr.  Dunning's  being  a  self-con- 
stituted Trustee  is  incorrect,  and  I  must  be  allowed  to  inquire  by 
what  authority  you  exercise  the  office  of  a  committee  of  the 
Baptist  Church.  You  need  not  be  informed  that  you  have  no 
authority  from  the  African  Church  to  act  in  that  capacity.  It 
is  an  assumj)tion,  therefore,  by  you,  as  I  think  your  own  words 
will  prove,  and  I  must  further  be  allowed  to  repeat  my  former 
verbal  remark  that  there  is  an  absence  of  all  right  on  your 
part  to  interfere  with  the  peaceful  demeanor  and  worship  of 
'One  Thousand  Souls,'  even  if  you  were  a  regularly  constituted 
committee,  and,  believe  me,  I  shall  not  stop  to  inquire  whether 
you  acknowledge  Mr.  Dunning  as  a  Trustee  or  not,  it  will  be 
my  pleasure  to  act  with  him  in  that  capacity,  together  with  Mr. 
Defy  on,  who  is  appointed  by  Mr.  Stiles  to  represent  him  by  a 
regular  power  of  attorney,  and  I  am  authorized  by  them  to  inform 
you  of  our  united  determination  to  prevent  the  unauthorized 
attempts  of  others  from  depriving  a  large  number  of  our  fellow 
beings  of  their  religious  privileges  which  are  guaranteed  to 
them  by  the  laws  of  our  State,  by  the  word  of  God,  and  by 
every  principle  of  kindness  which  ought  to  be  a  prominent 
feature  in  the  behavior  of  all  those  who  profess  the  Gospel. 
"I  am,  respectfully  yours,  &c,  &c, 

< '  (Signed)  ' '  JOHN  P.  WILLIAMSON. ' ' 

This  communication  sounds  as  though  this  man  was  moved 
by  a  higher  power  and  that  his  heart  was  inditing  a  good  mat- 
ter. He  intimates  that  Rev.  Marshall  had  carried  his  point, 
and  so  mighty  was  he  in  the  Scriptures  that  he  was  an  over- 


African  Baptist   Church. 


match  for  this  committee.  This,  gentlemen,  gave  the  commit- 
tee an  unwelcome  cut  respecting  the  independence  of  a  church 
which  Baptists,  more  than  anybody  else,  love  to  parade.  He 
very  timely  calls  into  question  their  right  to  interfere  with  a 
church  worshipping  God  as  they  understand  him.  This  would 
seem  enough  to  put  them  to  everlasting  shame  and  eternal 
silence;  but  they  were  bent  on  ousting  Eev.  Marshall,  and 
hence  addressed  the  following  letter  to  the  Mayor  of  the  city : 

"Savannah.  13th  August,  1S33. 
"To  His  Honor  William  T.  Williams: 

"Sir — We  deem  it  our  duty  to  address  you  on  the  subject  of 
the  First  African  Church — a  subject  in  which  our  community  is 
more  or  less  interested.  This  church  in  a  former  difficulty, 
fearing  that  the  public  authorities  would  interfere  with  their 
privilege  as  a  Christian  society,  applied  to  the  Baptist  Church 
in  Savannah  to  be  taken  under  their  care,  guidance  and  direc- 
tion. Accordingly  articles  of  agreement  were  entered  into  be- 
tween the  two  churches  and  they  were  permitted  to  choose  from 
our  body  five  members  as  their  Advisory  Committee,  which 
was  accordingly  done.  The  commitee  was  to  have  all  matters 
of  controvers3r  and  difficulties  arising  in  the  church  referred  to 
them  for  settlement.  With  this  arrangement  our  community 
appeared  satisfied,  but  the  time  has  arrived  when  we  cannot  be 
identified  with  them  in  any  of  their  actions  or  doings.  We 
have  been  compelled,  though  reluctantly,  to  give  them  up. 
This  course  has  been  deliberately  and  calmly  considered,  and 
our  reasons  for  adopting  it  are :  That  Andrew  C.  Marshall  has 
been  preaching  doctrines  which  our  church  cannot  countenance. 
We  have  found  by  our  proceedings  with  him  that  we  can  place 
no  confidence  in  him — he  deviates  from  the  truth,  and  this,  too, 
under  the  garb  of  his  profession.  We  believe  him  to  be  a  de- 
signing man,  seeking  only  his  own  aggrandisement  and  the  love 
of  power,  even  at  the  expense  of  the  peace  and  happiness  of  his 
own  people.  Our  advice  has  been  uniformly  disregarded,  and, 
though  frequently  asked,  has  on  no  occasion  been  followed. 
We  should  be  doing  violence  to  our  own  feelings  by  continuing 
longer  with  them.  The  majority  of  the  church  appear  deter- 
mined to  go  with  Marshall  at  all  hazards,  and  he  has  them  so 
completely  under  his  control  that  they  are  ready  on  all  occa- 
sions to  sanction  his  mandates,  whether  right  or  wrong.  We 
are  indeed  satisfied  that  they  are  following  the  man,  and  not  the 
Gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  We  have  for  some  time  left 
them  to  themselves,  in  fact,  our  right  to  interfere  with  them  at 
all  has  been  denied  by  some  men  of  high  standing  in  this  com- 


24  History  of  the  First 


niunity,  who  seem  disposed  to  support  Andrew  under  any  cir- 
cumstances. We  have  felt  great  interest  in  the  people  under  his 
charge,  and  have  used  all  the  peaceful  means  in  our  power  to 
rescue  them  from  their  blind  devotion  to  the  man,  but  it  is  in 
vain.  Under  all  these  circumstances  we  give  them  up,  and  give 
notice  to  you  as  the  head  of  our  community  that  our  church  will 
not  hold  itself  responsible  for  any  act  of  which  they  may  be 
guilty  in  future. 

"  The  individuals  composing  the  First  African  Church  are  in 
part  the  property  of  our  citizens,  and  it  is  for  them,  if  they  feel 
any  interest  in  their  everlasting  or  temporal  welfare,  to  inter- 
pose and  save  them  from  the  baneful  influence  of  a  designing 
man.  We  beg  leave  to  refer  you  for  details  to  Thomas  Dowell, 
T.  Virstill  and  0.  M.  Lillibridge,  who  will  give  your  honor  any 
information  that  may  be  in  the  possession  of  the  committee  not 
specially  alluded  to  in  this  communication. 
"  We  are,  respectfully,  your  obedient  servants, 
"(Signed)  "W.  W.  WASH, 

"THOS.  DOWELL, 

"OLIVER  M.  LILLIBRIDGE, 

"T.  VIRSTILL, 

"S.  A.  PATOT, 

"Committee." 

And  still  God  was  with  the  suffering  church,  and  this  attempt 
proved  futile.  There  is  no  record  that  the  Mayor  answered 
this  communication.  If  so,  it  could  not  have  been  favorable  to 
the  assailants,  for  the  church  kept  on  in  its  good  work.  Doubt- 
less the  Majror  answered  in  the  same  spirit  which  the  trustees 
did,  if  he  answered  at  all.  We  have  from  the  committee's  own 
mouth :  "  The  majority  of  the  church  appear  determined  to 
go  with  Andrew  C.  Marshall  at  all  hazard,  and  he  has  them  so 
completely  under  his  control  that  they  are  ready  on  all  occa- 
sions to  sanction  his  mandates,  whether  right  or  wrong.  We 
are  indeed  satisfied  that  they  are  following  the  man,  and  not 
the  Gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  A  man,  to  carry  his 
people  contrary  to  the  express  wish  of  the  white  people  in  that 
day,  and  whom  the  people  were  determined  to  follow  "  at  all 
hazards,"  must  have  been  indeed  a  very  wonderfully  great  man. 
There  were  members  of  the  church  who  would  have  sacrificed 
their  lives  for  Rev.  Marshall. 


African  Baptist   Church.  25 


CHAPTEE  V. 

Rev.  Marshall  Reinstated — The  Troubles  Continue — His  Church 
Back  under  the  Supervision  of  the  "White  Baptist  Church. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  the  committee  was  mistaken 
in  saying  that  the  First  African  Church  had  renounced  the 
government  of  the  Baptist  denomination.  Rev.  Marshall  was 
a  veritable  Baptist.  But  he  was  just  such  a  Baptist  as  his  white 
brethren.  He  believed  that  the  same  spirit  of  freedom  and 
independence  that  was  in  the  white  church  ought  to  be  in  the 
colored  church,  and  for  this  he  contended  just  as  an  intelligent 
Baptist  should  have  done.  In  this  he  was  right,  and  God 
crowned  his  labors  with  the  most  signal  success.  That  he  had 
no  disposition  to  isolate  himself  and  church  from  the  associa- 
tion of  Baptists  is  clearly  seen  in  the  following  petition,  which 
was  read  before  the  Savannah  Baptist  Church  (white),  October 
27th,  1834  : 

"  The  First  African  Church  of  Savannah  reposing  confidence 
in  their  brethren,  the  Savannah  Baptist  Church,  and  believing 
that  they  are  willing  to  impart  Christian  advice  to  them  in  the 
circumstances  under  which  they  are  placed,  now  throw  them- 
selves upon  the  friendly  and  Christian  aid  of  their  brethren  for 
this  purpose.  Believing  what  they  will  advise  will  be  consistent 
with  the  spirit  and  dictates  of  the  Gospel,  they  will  cheerfully 
comply  with  the  advice  which  may  be  thus  given.  That  good 
may  result  from  this  measure  is  the  humble  hope  and  prayer  of, 
in  behalf  of  the  church, 

"(Signed)  "ADAM  W.  DOLLY, 

"ClerJc." 

The  Savannah  Baptist  Church  sent  the  First  African  Bap- 
tist Church  the  following  reply : 

"October  26th,  1834. 

"  The  Savannah  Baptist  Church  has  been  applied  to  by  the 
First  African  Baptist  Church  for  its  advice  in  relation  to  its 
present  situation  and  future  conduct,  with  the  spirit,  they  hope, 
with  which  the  Christian  should  be  actuated;  and  with  the 
best  wishes  for  the  temporal  and  spiritual  prosperity  of  the 
members  of  this  community,  submit  the  following  as  their 
advice : 

"The  course  which  they  recommend  to  be  pursued,  they 
look  upon  as  the  only  one  that  can  be  adopted  with  the  well 
grounded  hope  of  their  being  reinstated  in  the  full  enjoyment 


26  History  of  the  First 


of  their  privileges  and  the  Christian  fellowship  of  their  breth- 
ren. It  is  not  to  be  understood  that  the  Savannah  Baptist 
Church,  in  giving  the  advice  which  is  asked,  take  upon  them- 
selves the  right  to  dictate  what  course  shall  be  adopted.  They 
would  only  be  understood  as  advising  as  Christian  brethren 
who  are  influenced  by  a  lively  interest  of  the  First  African 
Church.  Our  advice  will  seem  to  bear  heavily  upon  an  indi- 
vidual, but  in  advising  the  course  herein  stated,  that  individ- 
ual's best  interests  are  contemplated.  It  is  considered  as 
unquestionable  that  most  if  not  all  of  the  difficulties  of  this 
church  have  chiefly  arisen  from  the  imputation  of  their  hold- 
ing sentiments  which  are  believed  adverse  to  the  fundamental 
truths  of  the  Gospel ;  and  the  conduct  which  has  grown  out  of 
an  adherence  to  these  sentiments  is  due  to  the  individual  who 
has  propagated  them.  And  here,  it  would  be  remarked,  that 
this  statement  is  not  made  with  the  view  of  criminating,  but 
simply  to  express  the  cause  of  the  existing  difficulties.  Andrew  C. 
Marshall,  who  has  filled  the  office  of  pastor  of  this  church,  and 
who  has  always  exercised  a  controlling  influence  over  it,  is 
considered  the  organ  through  which  these  sentiments  have 
been  propagated.  Besides  preaching  objectionable  doctrine, 
which  it  is  believed  he  has  done,  his  conduct  in  other  respects 
has  been  such  as  to  have  excited  against  himself  strong  preju- 
dices at  least,  which  still  continue,  and  which  it  will  require 
a  long  and  continued  series  of  entire  propriety  of  conduct  so 
far,  indeed,  as  it  is  compatible  with  the  frailties  of  human 
nature  to  maintain,  in  order  to  have  them  removed.  Tnder 
these  circumstances,  therefore,  we  would  advise  the  withdrawal 
of  Andrew  C.  Marshall  from  the  pastoral  office  as  the  first  step 
which  we  think  necessary  to  bring  about  a  settlement  of  diffi- 
culties and  a  restoration  to  fellowship. 

"In  the  next  place,  the  disavowal  of  the  doctrine  imputed 
to  the  church  should  be  unhesitatingly  and  fully  made. 

"  Thirdly,  and  lastly,  we  would  advise  as  an  indispensable 
step  to  the  settlement  of  the  difficulties  and  differences  between 
this  and  the  other  colored  churches  in  this  city  in  which  is 
involved  the  removal  of  all  the  obstacles  which  interpose  to 
prevent  the  attainment  of  this  end — and  here  let  it  be  remem- 
bered that  we  are  bound  to  make  mutual  confession  and  con- 
cession which  do  not  call  for  the  relinquishment  of  principle 
in  order  to  bring  about  a  good  understanding  and  state  of 
things  among  Christians — to  forget  the  past  and  exercise  for- 
bearance for  the  future.  If  this  course  be  pursued,  there  can 
be  very  little  doubt  but  that  all  is  desirable  will  be  effected. 
And  how  delightful  it  is  to  see  brethren  dwelling  together  in 


African  Baptist   Church.  27 , 

unity ;  should  Andrew  C.  Marshall  feel  himself  aggrieved  by  the 
advice  herein  given,  which  indeed  is  made  necessary  from  the 
circumstances  under  which  he  has  brought  himself,  or  by  the 
opinions  and  feelings  entertained  towards  him,  not  only  hy  a 
large  portion  of  the  religious  community,  but  by  others  also, 
he  can  appeal  to  the  association  which  it  is  believed  will  readily 
appoint  a  committee  of  investigatiou  in  relation  to  his  case, 
and  which  will  unquestionably  act  towards  him  as  the  circum- 
stances which  may  be  developed  will  justify  and  demand.  In 
conclusion,  it  will  be  remarked  that  if  a  course  of  conciliation 
is  not  pursued  the  prejudice  already  created  will  be  so  riveted 
as  not  to  be  easily,  if  at  all,  removed,  and  it  therefore  behooves 
the  church  to  act  advisably  and  with  caution.  This  is  sug- 
gested in  relation  to  its  temporal  condition  and  prospects,  but 
surely  its  spiritual  interests  should  be  the  object  of  paramount 
solicitude.  If  any  other  advice  should  be  desired  the  church 
will  readily  and  cheerfully  afford  it  so  far  as  it  lies  within  their 
power  to  give. 

"(Signed)  "  J.  S.  LAW, 

"A.  HARMON, 
"H.  H.  FURMAN, 
"W.  W.  WASH, 
"  T.  VIRSTILL, 

"Committee." 
Rev.  A.  C.  Marshall  was  again  in  his  church  but  it  seemed 
that  the  trouble  continued — these  (white)  brethren  were  still 
of  the  decided  opinion  that  he  ought  not  to  be  pastor,  and  as 
often  as  thej^  were  appealed  to,  they  gave  the  same  advice  that 
Rev.  Marshall  should  not  be  pastor.  But  in  spite  of  them  Rev. 
Marshall  was  reinstated  pastor  of  the  First  African  Baptist 
Church.  In  every  advice  asked  by  the  First  African  Baptist 
Church,  they  always  reserved  the  right  to  do  as  they  thought 
best.  They  insisted  upon  the  right  of  the  church  to  refuse 
whatever  they  considered  not  to  be  after  the  dictates  of  the 
gospel.  This  teaching  the  committee  (white)  knew  to  have 
come  from  Rev.  Marshall.  Hence  they  always  advised  to  get 
him  out  of  the  way.  They  feared  that  such  independence  as 
the  gospel  taught  was  "extremely  dangerous*'  for  the  negroes 
to  take  in,  being  slaves.  The  First  African  Baptist  Church  soon 
after  this  came  under  the  supervision  of  the  Savannah  Baptist 
Church.  Peace  did  not  long  continue  in  the  Third  African 
Baptist  Church.  In  the  Conference  of  the  Savannah  Baptist 
Church  (white),  held  August  24,  1835,  a  committee  was  "ap- 
pointed to  examine  into  the  difficulties  existing  in  the  Third 


28  History  of  the  First 


African  Church."  This  trouble  grew  out  of  the  fact  that  John 
Simpson  and  family,  William  Munger  and  family,  and  Arthur 
Stevens  had  become  dissatisfied  with  the  inability  of  the  pulpit 
to  edify  them  and  wished  to  leave  the  church,  but  were  refused 
letters  of  dismission.  They  applied  to  the  white  church  for 
admission  but  were  rejected.  Doubtless,  they  now  regret  that 
they  had  left  Rev.  Marshall,  an  able  preacher  of  the  New  Test- 
ament, Surely,  if  the  shepherd  is  smitten  the  sheep  will  be 
scattered. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

The   First  African  Baptist  Church  Trying   to   Re-enter  the 

Association — She  Finally  Enters — Her  Identity  Traced 

from  1788  to  1838,  a  Period  of  Fifty  Years. 

In  all  these  Years  She  is  First  African 

Baptist  Church. 

In  1832  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  was  expelled.  In 
1835  she  applied  for  restoration.  She  was  refused.  The  trouble 
was  not  settled  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  association,  and  hence 
they  had  to  wait.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  investigate 
the  case  and  report  at  the  next  session.  This  year  was  also 
full  of  trouble  and  characterized  by  committee  meetings  and 
such  like.  The  church,  however,  was  not  content  to  remain 
out  of  the  association.  Rev.  Marshall,  its  pastor,  had  a  large 
heart  and  was  ready  to  forgive  and  forget  the  past,  and  march 
on,  unitedly,  to  a  glorious  victory. 

The  church  felt  it  very  keenly  that  they  were  out  of  the 
association,  and  great  was  the  anxiety  of  the  church  to  return 
to  the  association  and  the  communion  of  the  saints.  Hence  the 
disappointment  of  the  church  when  the  delegates  returned  and 
told  them  that  they  would  have  to  wait  another  year  before 
their  anticipated  joy  of  being  united  with  the  saints  could  be 
realized.  Certain  terms  were  proposed  for  reconciliation.  The 
terms  must  have  appeared  stringent  to  the  church  and  aggrieved 
pastor.  They  were  called  upon  to  deny  any  adherence  to  the 
doctrine  of  Alexander  Campbell,  and  the  pastor,  Rev.  A.  C. 
Marshall,  was  called  upon  to  disavow  any  belief  in  the  doctrine 
of  Mr.  Campbell,  which  he  had  all  along  denied,  and  the  con- 
trary of  which  they  had  on  every  occasion  failed  to  prove,  even 
if  Rev.  Mr.  Marshall  entertained  such  views.     The  committee 


African  Baptist  Church.  29 


of  the  church  (white )  interposed  and  prevented  the  First  Afri- 
can Church  from  joining  the  association.  In  1836  the  First 
African  Baptist?  Church  sent  a  petition  again  to  rejoin  the  asso- 
ciation, but  was  again  denied  upon  the  ground  that  they  had 
not  complied  with  the  terms  proposed  by  the  association  through 
its  committee.  This  petition  was  accompanied  by  a  letter  from 
the  trustees  (white),  the  spirit  of  which  the  association  said  it 
admired.  But  the  church  had  still  to  wait  another  year,  as  the 
committee  recommended  that  the  church  be  refused  admittance 
until  they  had  complied  with  the  terms  which  had  been  pro- 
posed as  the  only  ground  upon  which  reconciliation  could  be 
effected.  Though  this  pained  the  heart  of  the  church  she  bore 
it  Christ -like,  and  still  endeavored  to  gain  the  fellowship  of  the 
saints  and  to  be  one  again  in  the  household  of  faith. 

In  18,37,  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  appears  as  fair  as 
the  moon  emerged  from  a  dreadful  cloud.  For  five  years  she 
had  been  in  trouble  and  out  of  the  association.  During  these 
five  years  her  faith  had  been  put  to  the  severest  test.  Her 
enemies  were  strong,  influential  and  man}* ;  they  were  determ- 
ined, untiring,  and  many  of  them  learned.  With  these  odds 
the  church  had  to  contend.  The  church  was  determined,  meek, 
humble,  and,  for  that  day,  remarkably  intelligent.  She  had 
a  strong  pastor,  of  iron  will,  many  true  and  lasting  friends. 
Being  united  among  themselves,  they  proved  to  be  an  army 
too  invincible  for  the  mightiest  foe.  As  of  Bev.  Andrew 
Bryan  and  this  same  church,  their  bitterest  enemies  were  turned 
to  most  ardent  admirers.  During  all  this  time  the  church 
increased  in  power,  intellectually,  spiritually,  solidity  and  piety. 
Her  troubles  tended  to  develop  her  unknown  strength  and 
greatness  which  otherwise  might  have  lain  dormant.  But  for 
this  trouble  she  might  not  have  been  the  great  church  she  is 
to-day.  When  she  was  yet  young,  she  learned  self-reliance 
and  to  trust  in  God  and  go  ahead. 

The  church  was  restored  to  the  association  in  1837  with  a 
membership  of  1,810.  She  was  represented  in  this  session  by 
A.  C.  Marshall  and  R.  McMsh  (the  latter  is  still  alive).  She 
was  expelled  in  1832  with  a  membership  of  2,795.  At  that 
session  she  was  represented  by  A.  C.  Marshall,  A.  Johnson,  J. 
Simpson  and  S.  Whitfield.  In  1837  when  the  First  African 
Baptist  Church  returned  to  the  association,  the  Third  African 
Church,  now  the  First  Bryan  Church,  was  represented  by  S. 
McQueen,  with  a  membership  of  189.  At  this  session  we  have 
the  First  African  Baptist  Church  with  a  membership  of  1,810, 
a  Second  African  Church  with  a  membership  of  1,263,  and  a 
Third  African  Church  with  a  membership  of  189.     When  Bev. 


30  History  of  the  First 


Marshall  went  off  from  the  old  spot  he  carried  with  him  2,640 
members,  leaving  with  Deacon  Adam  Johnson  155  members. 
They  returned  as  above  stated.  This  was  830  members  less 
than  he  left  with.  Where  are  these  830  members?  They  did 
not  go  very  largely  to  the  Second  African  Church,  for  their 
number  was  diminished.  For  at  the  session  of  1832,  at  which 
the  First  African  Church  was  expelled,  the  Second  African 
Church  represented  1,310  members,  and  at  the  session  of 
1837,  when  it  returned,  the  Second  Church  had  a  member- 
ship of  1,263,  47  members  less.  They  did  not  go  very 
largely  to  the  Third  African  Church,  for  in  1833,  when 
it  first  joined  the  association,  it  represented  155  members. 
In  1837,  four  years  afterward,  when  the  First  African 
Church  was  readmitted,  the  Third  Church  represeuted  189 
members — -just  34  more — only  an  average  of  82  members  a 
year.  During  the  five  years'  trouble  of  the  church  niany  of 
the  country  members  had  been  encouraged  to  leave  the  church 
by  the  white  people.  Many  became  indifferent;  many  had 
been  taken  out  of  the  city  on  farms,  and  many  had  been  hired 
out  or  sold  out  of  the  city.  This  accounts  for  the  missing  830 
members.  It  must  be  noticed  that  the  church  was  expelled  in 
1832  from  the  association  as  First  African  Church,  with  Rev. 
A.  C.  Marshall,  pastor  and  delegate,  and  returned  as  First 
African  Church,  in  1837,  with  Rev.  A.  C.  Marshall  as  pastor 
and  delegate.  She  was  dealt  with  all  between  as  First  African 
Baptist  Church.  Thus  through  the  terrible  troubles  through 
which  the  church  passed  she  never  lost  her  identity.  The  ter- 
rible missies  of  the  enemies  fell  harmlessly  at  her  feet.  Through 
Christ  she  conquered  and  her  fame  became  world  wide,  and 
Rev.  Marshall  acknowledged  as  one  of  the  ablest  men  of  the 
age.  Strangers  visiting  Savannah  would  not  consider  their 
visit  complete  if  they  did  not  visit  the  First  African  Church. 
After  this  trouble,  Rev.  Marshall's  greatness  just  begun  to  be 
acknowledged  throughout  the  country.  Settled  down  quietly  to 
his  work,  the  church  under  his  leadership  increased  rapidly  in 
membership  and  soon  ran  up  to  several  thousands.  Indeed, 
she  did  come  forth,  as  fair  as  the  moon,  as  bright  as  the  sun, 
and  as  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners.  The  First  African 
Baptist  Church  was  always  liberal  in  its  contributions  to  mis- 
sions and  to  the  cause  of  Christ  generally.  It  has  left  its  im- 
press upon  the  hearts  of  niany  ministers  and  others  whom  she 
has  helped  in  times  of  need.  Notwithstanding  her  troubles 
she  bought  her  house  of  worship,  for  which  she  paid  61,500,  and 
supported  her  pastor  at  the  same  time.  She  never  refused  a 
call  for  missions. 


African  Baptist  Church.  31 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Th.3  New  Site  at  Franklin  Ward,  or  Square— The  Purchase — 

New  Building,  and  more  about  Rev.  Marshall's  Efforts 

to  Get  Money  to  Build  the  Church  and  to  Bring 

it  to  a  Higher  Plane  of  Usefulness  and 

Intelligence,  and    his    Death. 

It  appears  that  before  the  split  of  1832  that  money  had  been 
raised  to  purchase  the  old  site  of  the  Savannah  Baptist  Church 
at  Franklin  Square,  and  before  the  contract  had  been  closed  the 
trouble. commenced.  When  the  trouble  was  settled  the  First 
African  Baptist  Church  agreed  to  relinquish  its  claims  to  the 
old  church  property  to  the  minority  so  soon  as  they  would 
relinquish  their  claims  to  the  new.  Hence  it  must  be  that 
they  had  helped  to  raise  some  of  the  money  before  the  split 
with  which  to  buy  the  new  church  property. 

The  First  African  Baptist  Church  bought  this  property  for 
$1,500.  They  were  required  to  pajr  this  amount  from  April 
28th,  1832,  by  November  1st,  1832.  The  terms  were  rigid,  con- 
sidering those  days.  The  bargain  was  authorized  to  be  made 
in  the  Conference  of  the  Savannah  Baptist  Church  (white) 
April  28,  1832,  and  in  the  Conference  of  the  same.  May  the 
10th,  1832,  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  is  credited' with 
$1,000.  The  poor  slaves  had  paid  in  less  than  thirty  days  this 
amount  of  money.  They  worked  all  day  for  the  white  people 
and  paid  them  whatever  money  they  made  at  night  or  between 
times.  The  church  (white)  ordered  their  Trustees  to  give  the 
First  African  Baptist  Church  possession  of  the  building  as  soon 
as  they  had  paid  the  balance  due.  From  this  statement  we 
learn  that  they  were  not  to  have  possession  until  the}*  paid  all. 
If  it  be  asked,  Was  this  right  and  just?  we  answer,  yes  and 
no.  Yes,  because  if  that  was  the  contract  it  was  right  for 
them  to  comply  with  the  contract  before  they  could  expect  pos- 
session. If  they  were  men  capable  of  making  a  contract  they 
ought  to  have  been  compelled  to  keep  it.  No,  because  they 
were  slaves,  and  all  they  had  and  were  belonged  to  the  white 
people.  They  owned  them  as  slaves  and  ordinarily  they  were 
not  allowed  to  make  a  contract.  It  was  the  duty  of  the  white 
people  to  look  out  for  the  religious  welfare  of  the  negroes,  build 
their  churches  and  pay  their  preachers.  How  could  the  white 
people  have  expected  these  slaves  to  have  money  ?    They  worked 


•32  History  of  the  First 

them  all  day  and  hired  patrols  and  police  nights  and  Sundays 
to  see  that  they  did  not  go  out,  except  to  church.  Still  they 
exacted  of  them  61,500  just  as  rigidly  as  if  they  were  free  men. 
This  thought  is  enough  to  chill  the  blood  of  a  liberty-loving 
people.  The  First  African  Baptist  Church  is  almost  the  price 
of  blood.  Just  how  the  money  was  raised  to  buy  this  property 
we  can  not  see.  God  helped  His  people,  and  to  Him  be  all  the 
glory.  We  may  stand  on  the  Mount  of  Libert}"  to-day  and 
very  well  exclaim,  "The  Lord  has  done  great  things  for  us, 
whereof  we  are  glad!"  Perhaps  the  church  will  never  be 
called  upon  to  suffer  what  she  has  suffered,  and  perhaps  will 
never  produce  a  set  of  members  more  earnest,  more  determined 
and  more  liberal. 

These  hardships  developed  wonderful  characters.  Whatever 
the  negroes  have  learned  they  have  paid  for  it  dearly.  About 
November  1st,  1832,  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  took 
charge  of  the  building  at  Franklin  Square.  This  was  very 
providential  that  they  should  have  obtained  a  site  in  so  promi- 
nent a  part  of  the  city.  From  this  place  her  gloiy  commenced 
to  be  known  the  world  over.  No  church  has  been  more  favored 
of  the  Lord  than  this  church.  Not  long  after  they  had  settled 
down  in  their  new  quarters  the  First  African  Baptist  Church 
begun  to  bestir  itself  to  put  up  a  large  brick  building,  to  stand 
as  a  palace  built  for  God  to  show  His  milder  face.  This  was  a 
great  undertaking  for  slaves,  but  they  were  led  by  a  great  man, 
who  was  capable  of  undertaking  great  things,  and  who  knew 
no  such  thing  as  fail.  The  church  begun  this  hard  task  under 
adverse  circumstances.  It  will  be  remembered  that  for  about 
ten  years  there  was  no  special  things  that  transpired  in  the 
church  worthy  of  note,  except  that  the  church  grew  and  thrived 
under  the  faithful,  pious  and  aged  Andrew  C.  Marshall. 

It  was  in  the  heart  of  Rev.  Mr.  Marshall  to  build  a  fine  house 
of  worship.  For  this  purpose  he  begged  money  from  his  church 
and  friends  in  Savannah,  but  seeing  this  was  not  sufficient  and 
that  he  could  not  prosecute  the  work  as  rapidly  as  he  wished, 
and  seeing  that  the  church  was  greatly  put  to  it  to  raise  money, 
Bev.  Mr.  Marshall  went  North  to  beg  monej^.  He  had  some 
success,  but  nothing  like  what  he  had  hoped,  perhaps.  This 
trip  was  taken  in  1856.  He  was  cordially  received  by  Northern 
Baptists  and  invited  in  the  leading  pulpits  of  New  York, 
crowds  greeting  him  wherever  he  preached.  But  declining 
health  and  old  age  caused  him  to  return  homeward.  Not 
being  able  to  procure  a  passage  on  the  steamer,  owing  to  a  law 
of  the  free  States  that  a  slave  could  not  return  to  a  slave  State, 
he  had  to  undertake  the  trip  by  land  and  such  conveniences  as 


African  Baptist   Church. 


that  day  afforded.  He  got  as  far  as  Richmond.  Ya..  and  there 
breathed  his  last,  full  of  years,  faith  and  good  works.  Rev. 
Mr.  Marshall  hoped  to  finished  the  church  building  with  the 
finishing  of  his  days.  But  God  called  him  to  his  reward  with- 
out letting  him  return  to  see  his  people  and  report  the  results  of 
his  labors.     When  he  died  the  work  kept  right  on. 

God  had  a  man  prepared  to  take  up  the  work  where  Rev. 
Marshall  laid  it  down,  and  whom  the  people  would  love  just  as 
much,  and  who  would  wield  the  same,  if  not  greater,  influence 
over  them.  A  man  of  practical  judgment  and  wonderful  exec- 
utive ability.  That  man  was  Rev.  William  J.  Campbell.  Un- 
der him  the  work  did  not  lag.  He  did  not  leave  the  city  to 
raise  money  to  any  great  extent,  but  so  great  was  his  influence 
that  he  raised  money  at  will.  The  building  cost  twenty-six 
thousand  dollars  (826,000).'  It  was  completed  in  1859.  It 
being  the  only  brick  building  owned  by  negroes  in  the  city,  or 
in  the  State,  it  attracted  great  attention.  It  was  called  the 
brick  church,  and  by  many  is  still  known  by  that  name.  The 
building  is  a  plain,  neat  one.  There  is  nothing  showy  about  it. 
Not  a  brick  is  put  in  it  that  might  have  been  left  out.  Economy 
and  taste  were  displayed  in  the  erection  of  this  edifice.  It  was 
built  simply  for  the  glory  of  God  and  He  blessed  their  efforts. 
The  church  continued  in  favor  with  God  and  man.  Anything 
she  undertakes  never  fails.  It  is  true  that  Rev.  W.  J.  Camp- 
bell was  not  so  able  as  Rev.  A.  C.  Marshall,  but  somehow  he 
had  an  unbounded  influence  over  people.  They  simply  obeyed 
him  as  king.     The  church  was  orderly  and  dignified. 

The  building  has  a  basement  in  which  services  are  held  dur- 
ing the  week  and  prayer  meeting  earl}'  Sunday  morning,  and 
Sunday  school  Sunday  afternoons.  The  main  audience  room 
has  a  gallery  running  around  the  front  and  both  sides.  In  this 
room  is  preaching  at  11  o'clock  on  Sunday  morning  and  at 
night.  On  the  first  Sunday  in  the  month,  at  3  p.  m.,  the  Lord's 
Supper  is  celebrated  here  also,  and  on  the  third  Sunday  in  each 
month,  at  3  p.  m.,  the  Church  Conference  is  held  in  this  room. 
Otherwise  this  room  is  not  used  except  on  special  occasions, 
such  as  marriages,  concerts,  etc.  The  church  has  a  large  choir 
and  a  large  pipe  organ,  which  afford  music  morning  and  night 
on  Sunday.  The  building  is  surrounded  by  an  iron  railing,  ex- 
cept the  rear,  with  the  inscription,  "  First  African  Baptist 
Church,  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell,  Pastor."  It  stands  a  lasting 
monument  to  the  greatness  of  Revs.  A.  C.  Marshall  and  W.  J. 
Campbell.  As  this  building  was  completed  in  1859  it  stood 
until  1888  without  any  remodelling. 

Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell  was  a  wise  planner.     He  knew  how  to 


34  History  of  the  First 


divide  his  forces  and  to  concentrate  them  whenever  this  was 
necessary.  When  the  church  decided  to  tear  down  the  old 
frame  building  and  to  erect  a  new  brick  edifice  he  appointed  a 
building  committee,  of  which  he  was  chief  director.  As  best 
we  can  learn,  this  committee  consisted  of  Deacons  Murry  Mon- 
roe, C.  L.  DeLamotta,  John  Verdier  and  James  M.  Simms. 
These  were  members  of  the  church  and  took  personal  interest 
in  the  work.  The  work  was  executed  with  great  pride,  exqui- 
site taste  and  energy.  Many  men  and  women  worked  at  night 
free  of  charge,  and  hence  the  work  was  pushed  forward  with 
wonderful  rapidity.  "  The  people  had  a  mind  to  work."  Mr. 
James  H.  Hooker,  now  a  deacon  of  the  church,  boasts  of  hav- 
ing laid  the  first  and  last  brick  when  the  church  was  built. 
Many  of  the  members  loaned  the  church  money  on  this  occa- 
sion. 


CHAPTEK  VIII. 

Rev.  George  Leile — His  "Work  in  Savannah  and  Departure 

to  Jamaica. 

Rev.  George  Leile  was  born  in  Virginia  about  1750;  removed 
to  Georgia  and  settled  in  Burke  county  some  time  before  1773. 
About  1773,  after  six  months  distress  of  mind  and  inquiring  the 
way  of  life  (or  what  we  call  "  seeking  the  Lord 1'),  he  was  happily 
converted,  and  was  baptized  by  Eev.  Mathew  Moore  (white). 
He  was  soon  licensed  to  preach  the  Gospel,  which  he  did  with 
fine  effect.  His  ordination  followed  very  soon.  From  planta- 
tion to  plantation  he  went  bearing  the  olive  branch  of  peace. 
Benedict  says  he  preached  at  Brampton  and  Yamacraw,  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Savannah,  for  three  years.  He  was  owned  by 
a  Mr.  Henry  Sharp,  who  was  ver}r  kind  to  him  and  gave  him 
his  freedom.  One  of  the  heirs  undertook  to  rob  him  of  his 
freedom  after  the  death  of  his  kind  master,  but  God  spared  it 
to  him.  About  1781  he  baptized  Rev.  Andrew  Bryan,  his  wife, 
and  two  others.  About  this  time  the  British  armies  were  leav- 
ing our  shore  and  Rev.  George  Leile  decided  to  seek  a  home  in 
the  West  Indies.  He  was  led  by  the  loving  hand  of  a  smiling 
Providence,  though  he  knew  it  not.     He  had  not  the  money 


African  Bajitist  Church.  35 

with  which  to  pajT  his  passage,  yet  he  was  to  plant  the  Gospel 
in  Jamaica.  God  put  it  in  the  heart  of  Col.  Kirkland  to  lend 
him  the  money.  Led  by  the  Spirit  he  sailed  for  Jamaica  about 
the  close  of  1781  or  the  first  of  1782.  He  put  to  work  to  pay 
back  the  money  he  had  borrowed  from  Col.  Kirkland  just  as 
soon  as  he  reached  Jamaica.  In  two  years  he  had  paid  back 
the  last  cent.  He  was  a  farmer  by  trade.  He  had  a  wife  and 
four  children.  He  was  busy  preaching  the  gospel  of  Christ 
while  he  was  making  monej7  to  pay  his  debt. 

In  1784  he  had  organized  a  church  on  the  island  and  had 
gathered  around  him  many  anxious  hearers.  He  is  not  con- 
tent to  organize  a  church,  but  he  set  to  work  to  build  a  decent 
house  for  God.  The  Lord  blessed  his  effort  and  some  good 
Baptists  in  England  we,re  interested  in  his  behalf,  and  by  their 
contributions  he  erected  a  nice  house  of  worship  in  that  place. 
He  organized  the  first  Baptist  Church  in  Kingston,  Jamaica, 
and  baptized  the  persons  with  whom  the  first  Baptist  Church 
of  color  was  organized  in  Georgia.  He  is  an  important  man, 
both  in  our  history  in  Georgia  and  in  the  history  of  the  Bap- 
tists in  Jamaica.  He  was  an  able  man  of  his  day,  if  we  may 
judge  from  his  letters  to  Dr.  Bippon,  of  London.  In  1791  he 
wrote  that  he  had  baptized  about  500  persons.  He  was  very 
industrious,  working  with  his  own  hands  for  the  support  of 
himself  and  faruity,  either  farming  or  driving  a  wagon  hauling 
goods  from  one  place  to  the  other.  He  was  a  man  of  great 
practical  judgment.  He  was  neat  in  his  dress  and  humble  in  his 
manners.  He  won  the  highest  respect  and  admiration  of  the 
people  of  the  island,  white  and  black.  The  slaves  loved  him 
and  their  owners  honored  him.  He  was  the  friend  of  both. 
He  handled  skillfully  the  sword  of  truth  and  drew  crowds  after 
him  wherever  he  preached  the  gospel.  When  he  had  estab- 
lished a  church  in  the  towns  he  made  for  the  interior  to  unfurl 
the  gospel  banner  to  those  who  were  sitting  in  darkness  and 
in  the  region  of  the  shadow  of  death.  He  never  forgot  his 
brethren  in  Georgia — frequent  letters  passed  between  them. 
He  was  anxious  to  know  how  the  brethren  here  fared  with  whom 
he  had  labored,  and  some  of  whom  he  had  led  to  Jesus  and 
baptized.  We  subjoin  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  Rev.  Leile  to 
Dr.  Bippon  which  will  show  somewhat  of  the  character  of  the 
man.     It  was  written  in  1791 : 

"I  cannot  tell  what  is  my  age,  as  I  have  no  account  of  the 
time  of  my  birth ;  but  I  suppose  I  am  about  40  years  old.  I 
have  a  wife  and  four  children.  My  wife  was  baptized  by  me 
in  Savannah,  and  I  have  every  satisfaction  in  life  from  her. 
She  is  much  the  same  age  as  myself.     My  eldest  son  is  19  years, 


Historv  of  the  First 


my  next  son  17,  the  third  fourteen,  and  the  last  child  a  girl  of 
11  years.  They  are  all  members  of  the  church.  My  occupa- 
tion is  a  farmer,  but  as  the  seasons  in  this  part  of  the  country 
are  uncertain,  I  also  keep  a  team  of  horses  and  wagons  for  the 
carrying  of  goods  from  one  place  to  another,  which  I  attend 
myself,  with  the  assistance  of  my  sons,  and  by  this  way  of  life 
have  gained  the  good  will  of  the  public,  who  recommend  me  to 
business  and  to  some  very  principal  work  for  Government.  I 
have  a  few  books,  some  good  old  authors  and  sermons,  and  one 
large  Bible  that  was  given  me  by  a  gentleman.  A  good  many 
of  our  members  can  read  and  are  all  desirous  to  learn.  They 
will  be  very  thankful  for  a  few  books  to  read  on  Sundays  and 
other  days.  I  agree  to  election,  redemption,  the  fall  of  Adam, 
regeneration  and  perseverance,  knowing  the  promise  is  to  all 
who  endure,  in  grace,  faith  and  good  works  to  the  end,  shall  be 
saved. 

'•There  is  no  Baptist  church  in  this  country  but  ours.  We 
have  purchased  a  piece  of  land  at  the  east  end  of  Kingston, 
containing  three  acres,  for  the  sum  of  £155,  currency,  and  on  it 
have  begun  a  meeting-house,  57  feet  in  length  by  37  in  breadth. 
We  have  raised  the  brick  wall  eight  feet  high  from  the  founda- 
tion, and  intend  to  have  a  gallery.  Several  gentlemen,  mem- 
bers of  the  House  of  Assembly,  and  other  gentlemen,  have  sub- 
scribed towards  the  building  about  £40.  The  chief  part  of  our 
congregation  are  slaves,  and  their  owners  allow  them,  in  com- 
mon, but  three  or  four  bits  per  week  for  allowance  to  feed 
themselves,  and  out  of  so  small  a  sum  we  cannot  expect  any- 
thing that  can  be  of  service  from  them ;  if  we  did,  it  would 
soon  bring  a  scandal  upon  religion ;  and  the  free  people  in  our 
society  are  but  poor,  but  they  are  all  willing,  both  free  and 
slaves,  to  do  what  they  can.  As  for  my  part,  I  am  too  much 
entangled  with  the  affairs  of  the  world  to  go  on,  as  I  would, 
with  my  design  in  supporting  the  cause.  This  has,  I  acknowl- 
edge, been  a  great  hindrance  to  the  gospel  in  one  way ;  but  as  I 
have  endeavored  to  set  a  good  example  of  industry  before  the 
inhabitants  of  the  land,  it  has  given  general  satisfaction  another 
way.  And,  Bev.  Sir,  we  think  the  Lord  has  put  it  in  the  power 
of  the  Baptist  Societies  in  England  to  help  and  assist  us  in 
completing  this  building,  which  we  look  upon  Avill  be  the  great- 
est undertaking  ever  was  in  this  country  for  the  bringing  of 
souls  from  darkness  into  the  light  of  the  gospel.  And  as  the 
Lord  has  put  it  in  your  heart  to  inquire  after  us,  we  place  all 
our  confidence  in  you  to  make  our  circumstances  known  to  the 
several  Baptist  churches  in  England,  and  we  look  upon  you  as 
our  father,  friend  and  brother.     Within  the  brick  wall  we  have 


African  Bcqytist   Church.  37 

a  shelter  in  which  we  worship  until  our  building  can  be  accom- 
plished. 

"Your  letter  was  read  to  the  church  two  or  three  times,  and 
did  create  a  great  deal  of  love  and  warmness  throughout  the 
whole  congregation,  who  shouted  for  joy  and  comfort  to  think 
that  the  Lord  had  been  so  gracious  as  to  satisfy  us  in  this 
country  wTith  the  very  same  religion  with  our  beloved  brethren 
in  the  old  country,  according  to  the  Scriptures :  and  that  such 
a  worthy of  London,  should  write  in  so  loving  a  man- 
ner to  such  poor  worms  as  we  are.  And  I  beg  leave  to  say. 
that  the  whole  congregation  sang  out  that  they  would,  through 
the  assistance  of  God,  remember  you  in  their  prayers.  They 
all  together  give  their  Christian  love  to  you  and  all  the  worthy 
professors  of  Jesus  Christ  in  your  church  at  London,  and  beg 
the  prayers  of  the  churches  in  general  and  of  your  congrega- 
tion wherever  it  pleases  you  to  make  known  our  circum- 
stances. I  remain,  with  the  utmost  love,  Eev.  Sir.  your  un- 
worthy fellow  laborer,  servant  and  brother  in  Christ. 

'GEOBGE  LEILE." 

"P.  S. — We  have  chosen  twelve  Trustees,  all  of  whom  are 
members  of  our  church,  whose  names  are  specified  in  the  title; 
the  title  proved  and  recorded  in  the  Secretary's  office  of  this 
island." 

*From  Benedict's  History  of  the  Baptists. 

This  man  doubtless  has  long  since  finished  his  labors  and  has 
entered  the  saints'  rest.  We  have  no  date  of  his  death,  nor 
the  latter  end  of  his  work.  But  he  will  be  remembered,  and 
his  name  honored,  both  here  and  in  Jamaica  while  memory 
holds  ,its  place.  Whatever  the  negro  Baptists  here  and  in 
Jamaica  are,  thejr  owe  it  to  his  humble  beginning.  And  what- 
ever may  be  written  of  either  of  us.  it  cannot  be  complete  if 
his  name  is  left  out.  His  record  is  here,  there  and  in  heaven. 
Nothing  is  known  of  any  of  his  family — whether  any  are  alive 
or  not. 


History  of  the  First 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Rev.  Andrew  Bryan  and  His  Pastorate. 

This  faithful  servant  of  God  was  born  at  a  place  called  Goose 
Creek,  about  sixteen  miles  from  Charleston,  South  Carolina, 
somewhere  about  1716,  and  was  baptized  by  Rev.  George  Leile 
about  1781.  He  was  ordained  to  the  office  of  the  gospel  min- 
istry January  20th,  1788,  by  Rev.  Abraham  Marshall  (white) 
and  Rev.  Jesse  Peter,  and  was  consequently  72  years  old  when 
he  became  pastor  of  the  church.  He  learned  to  read  about  1785. 
He  was  persecuted  for  preaching  the  gospel.  He  was  whipped  un- 
til he  bled  most  profusely.  But  while  bleeding,  and  the  cruel  lash 
yet  falling  upon  his  naked  back,  he  held  up  his  hand  and  said 
to  his  vile  persecutors:  "You  may  kill  me,  but  I  will  preach 
the  gospel.  If  you  would  stop  me  from  preaching,  cut  off  my 
head.  I  rejoice  that  I  am  worthy  to  suffer  for  Jesus."  This 
was  said  with  such  Christian  courage  and  humble  boldness, 
and  with  a  wonderfully  powerful  and  sweet  voice,  that  his  in- 
human  and   ungodly   persecutors   were   dumbfounded.      This 


African  Baptist   Church.  39 

touched  the  hearts  of  the  white  people  and  excited  their  sym- 
pathy for  the  persecuted  saints,  who  declared  that  such  treat- 
ment would  have  been  condemned  even  among  barbarians. 
Then  Mr.  Jonathan  Bryan,  the  master  of  Rev.  Andrew  Bryan, 
interceded  for  him.  His  intercession  was  late,  but  better  late 
than  never.  We  are  disposed  to  believe  that  the  sympathy  of 
the  community  excited  in  favor  of  the  persecuted  disciples 
moved  him  rather  than  the  magnanimity  of  his  own  heart. 
Where  was  he  when  all  this  persecution  was  going  on  ?  Could 
his  negroes,  who  were  doubtless  living  on  his  premises,  have 
been  taken  and  almost  martyred  without  his  knowledge? 
Would  white  men  in  those  days  have  treated  each  others'  ne- 
groes with  such  extreme  cruelties  without  their  permission  or 
knowledge?  Verily,  we  think,  no.  Benedict  says :  "Jona- 
than Bryan,  Esq.,  the  kind  master  of  Andrew  and  Samson, 
interceded  for  his  own  servants  and  the  rest  of  the  sufferers, 
and  was  much  grieved  at  their  punishment."  While  we  thank 
God  that  help  did  come,  we  feel  that  this  statement  is  highly 
colored.  We  lived  in  the  days  of  slavery  and  saw  and  felt 
some  of  its  ungodly  hardships.  We  know  that  this  was  a 
remarkable  case  if  Mr.  Jonathan  Bryan  could  not  have  pre- 
vented this  diabolical  treatment  of  these  humble,  defenseless 
Christians,  his  slaves,  but  God's  freemen.  If  this  was  done 
without  his  knowledge  he  could  have  sued  for  damage,  we 
think.  Benedict  does  not  tell  us  that  he  did.  If  he  did, 
doubtless  Benedict  would  have  been  delighted  to  have  informed 
us  at  length  about  it.  We  thank  God,  however,  for  what  Mr. 
Jonathan  Bryan  did.     He  might  have  done  much  worse. 

After  this  terrible  whipping,  Rev.  Andrew  Bryan  was  given 
the  use  of  his  master's  barns  at  Brampton,  three  miles  south- 
west of  Savannah,  for  the  purpose  of  preaching  Jesus  to  the 
negroes.  Here  for  several  years  he  preached  the  glorious  gos- 
pel of  Him  who  was  born  in  a  manger  to  anxious  hearers  in  a 
manger.  The  blessing  of  Almighty  God  rested  upon  his  efforts, 
and  He  honored  his  humble  preaching  in  this  humble  place 
with  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Their  number  wonderfully 
and  rapidly  increased.  They  soon  silenced  and  shamed  their 
bitterest  enemies,  unarmed  them  and  made  ardent  admirers  of 
them.  Rev.  Andrew  Bryan  was  a  faithful,  earnest  and  simple 
preacher  of  the  ISTew  Testament.  His  simple,  earnest  preach- 
ing at  Brampton's  barn  attracted  attention  and  he  was  visited 
by  distinguished  men  of  that  day.  In  course  of  time  he  pro- 
cured a  site  in  Yamacraw  and  there  erected  a  church  and 
preached  very  successfully  the  gospel. 

He  was  given  a  place  upon  which  to  erect  a  house  of  worship 


40  History  of  the  First 


by  Edward  Davis,  Esq.,  in  Yamacraw.  This  was  soon  taken 
from  thern.  The  corporation  of  the  city  gave  them  a  lot  in 
Yamacraw  upon  which  they  erected  a  house  42x49  in  1792.  It 
seems  that  they  lost  this  too. 

About  this  time  Rev.  Andrew  Bryan  bought  himself  and 
family  and  very  rapidly  accumulated  property.  He  was  worth 
before  his  death  upward  of  five  thousand  dollars.  The  site  the 
First  Bryan  Church  sits  on  to-day  was  owned  by  him,  and  in 
1797  he  sold  it  to  the  First  African  Baptist  Church.  He 
wielded  an  immense  influence.  He  was  beloved  and  honored 
by  white  and  black.  He  was  pastor  of  the  First  African  Bap- 
tist Church  from  1788  to  1812 — a  period  of  twenty-four  years. 
On  October  6th,  1812,  he  breathed  his  last,  full  of  faith,  hope, 
honor,  years  and  good  work.  He  went  to  live  with  that  Jesus 
for  whom  he  suffered.  Distinguished  white  men  delivered 
eulogies  at  his  funeral.  Thus  ended  the  wonderful  career  of 
this  grand,  good  man,  the  father  of  the  Baptists  in  Savannah,  on 
the  coast,  and  in  Georgia.  As  a  man  he  was  humble  and  fear- 
less. As  a  preacher  he  was  faithful  and  true.  Whatever  was 
duty  was  supreme  with  him.  As  a  pastor  he  was  loving,  ten- 
der and  sympathetic.  He  loved  his  members  as  children,  and 
they  reverenced  him  as  a  father.  When  he  died  it  was  con- 
sidered as  a  calamity  by  the  whole  community.  One  of  the 
best  men  that  ever  lived  had  passed  from  labor  to  reward.  In 
life  he  was  beloved  by  all ;  in  death  bemoaned  by  all.  He  was 
an  ornament  to  society  and  a  blessing  to  mankind.  He  was 
followed  to  his  last  resting  place  by  not  less  than  five  thousand 
persons,  and  addresses  were  made  at  his  grave  by  three  distin- 
guished white  men.     He  was  a  great  man. 


African  Baptist   Church. 


u 


CHAPTER  X. 

Rev.  Andrew  O.  Marshall. 

i 

Rev.  Marshall  was  born  about  1775  in  South  Carolina.  He 
was  the  nephew  of  Rev.  Andrew  Bryan.  He,  was,  it  is  said, 
pastor  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  for  forty -four  years, 
but  this  is  hardly  correct,  for  from  the  death  of  Rey.  Andrew 
Bryan  to  the  death  of  Rev.  Marshall  was  just  forty-four  years. 
It  is  more  than  likely  that  some  time  elapsed  before  he  was 
installed  as  pastor  at  the  death  of  his  uncle.  The  statement 
respecting  Rev.  Marshall  is  very  conflicting.  The  above  refer- 
ence to  his  birth  is  according  to  Dr.  Cathcart.  We  subjoin  a 
statement  that  was  written  by  a  friend  who  claimed  to  have 
been  acquainted  with  the  facts  in  the  case  and  who  lived  in  the 
days  of  Rev.  Marshall. 

"Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall  was  born  in  Bryan  county,  Ga., 
December  25th,  1745.  In  1785  he  became  a  member  of  the 
church,  being  baptized  by  his  uncle,  Rev.  Andrew  Bryan,  pas- 
tor of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church.  A  few  years  after  he 
was  licensed  to  preach  the  gospel,  after  which  he  was  ordained 
as  an  evangelist.     He  preached  in  the  Second  African  Baptist 


Jf.2  History  of  the  First 


Church  for  nine  years.  In  the  year  1808  he  took  pastoral  care 
of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church,  in  which  he  had  been  pas- 
tor for  forty-eight  years.  From  the  time  of  his  conversion  he 
was  used  as  an  instrument  in  the  hands  of  God  of  doing  much 
good.  He  heard  the  conversion  of  4,000  concerning  the  faith 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  he  baptized  3,776;  he  married  2,400; 
he  buried  2,040. 

"Andrew  C.  Marshall  was  born  a  slave.  He  has  traveled  over 
a  great  part  of  the  United  States.  He  has  by  industry  suc- 
ceeded in  purchasing  himself  and  done  many  benevolent  acts 
among  his  color,  and  has  given  to  different  institutions  several 
thousand  dollars.  The  venerable  Father  in  Israel,  Andrew  C. 
Marshall,  died  in  Richmond,  Virginia,  December  7th,  1856, 
while  returning  from  the  North  to  the  people  of  his  charge. 
For  nearly  or  quite  half  a  century  he  was  a  laborious  and  inde- 
fatigable workman  in  the  vineyard  of  his  Master.  For  many 
years  he  was  the  leading  religious  spirit  among  his  colored 
brethren  and  maintained  what  he  so  well  deserved,  the  respect 
and  confidence  of  the  whole  community.  Full  of  years,  how- 
ever, and  full  of  honors,  he  has  obej^ed  the  welcome  summons, 
'Come  up,'  and  died  at  the  age  of  110;  and  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death  he  could  discharge  his  duty  as  pastor  of  the  church. 
His  remains  were  brought  to  Savannah  at  the  expense  of  the 
congregation,  the  funeral  sermon  was  preached  b}7  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Rambeau,  and  deposited  in  his  own  vault.  He  is  now 
succeeded  by  one  of  his  own  students,  Rev.  William  Campbell." 

Rev.  Marshall  must  have  been  born  later  than  1775.  If 
Cathcart's  account  is  true  that  he  was  body  guard  to  George 
Washington  while  in  Savannah  during  the  war,  the  war  com- 
menced in  1775  and  lasted  eight  years,  so  Cathcart's  account  of 
the  birth  «of  Rev.  Marshall  can  not  be  true.  In  fact,  little  if 
anything  he  says  about  this  church  is  true.  Rev.  Marshall 
must  have  been  born  about  1745,  as  said  of  him. 

Cathcart  says  he  became  pastor  of  the  First  African  Baptist 
Church  in  1808,  and  yet  he  says  that  "Rev.  Andrew  Bryan 
continued  its  pastor  until  his  death  in  October,  1812."  This  is 
very  contradictory.  It  is  said  on  Rev.  Marshall's  epitaph  in 
the  church  to-day  that  he  was  pastor  of  the  First  African  Bap- 

1.  The  reader  will  observe  the  contradiction  in  the  place  and  time  of  the 
birth  of  Rev.  A.  C.  Marshall. 

2.  It  will  be  seen  also  that  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  was  not  organ- 
ized when  Rev.  Marshall  is  said  to  have  been  baptized  (1785),  having  been  organ- 
ized in  178S. 

3.  It  is  clear  that  Rev.  Marshall  was  never  pastor  of  the  Second  African  Bap- 
tist Church.  If  he  preached  in  said  church  jiine  years  and  resigned  it  in  1S0S,  it 
will  be  seen  that  he  took  charge  of  said  church  in  171*9,  which  was  three  years 
before  the  Second  African  Baptist  Church  was  organized,  being  organized  in  1802. 


African  Baptist   Church.  J+3 

tist  Church  for  forty-four  years.  If  he  was  pastor  of  the  First 
African  Baptist  Church  in  1808,  having  served  the  Second  Afri- 
can Baptist  Church  nine  years,  this  would  make  him  begin  his 
pastorate  with  the  Second  African  Baptist  Church  in  1799. 
This  was  quite  three  years  before  the  Second  African  Baptist 
Church  was  organized.  It  was  organized  December  26th,  1802, 
and  Bev.  Henry  Cunningham  was  ordained  January  1st,  1803, 
and  called  to  be  its  pastor.  He  served  it  continuously  until 
1831  or  1832,  a  period  of  twenty-eight  or  twenty-nine  years. 
Hence  Kev.  Marshall  was  never  pastor  of  the  Second  African 
Baptist  Church  since  he  served  the  First  African  Baptist  Church 
from  about  1812  to  1856,  and  since  Bev.  Henry  Cunningham 
preceded  him  to  the  saints'  reward  about  twenty-five  years. 
Rev.  Marshall  bought  himself  and  accumulated  property  very 
rapidly.  He  was  a  man  of  a  large  heart,  iron  will  and  an 
unflinching  courage.  He  feared  nothing  and  nobody  that  stood 
in  his  way  to  right.  He  had  many  good  books  which  he  read. 
His  information  was  broad.  He  comprehended  the  precepts  of 
the  gospel,  thought  for  himself,  and  never  feared  to  proclaim 
his  views.  He  understood  the  government  of  the  Baptist 
Church  and  \>y  that  he  was  willing  to  die.  He  had  much  trouble, 
as  our  readers  must  have  discovered  ere  this.  He  built  a  large 
brick  house  on  Bryan  street,  in  Yamacraw,  and  had  much 
trouble  about  it  from  the  report  that  he  bought  stolen  bricks. 
The  prejudice  was  very  high  against  him  and  the  church  was 
closed  for  six  months  on  account  of  this.  In  1825,  Bev.  Mar- 
shall preached  all  of  his  spare  time  from  his  church  as  mission- 
ary to  the  negro  Baptist  Churches  in  the  bounds  of  the  Suus- 
bury  Association  and  refused  pay  Avhen  it  was  offered  to  him. 
He  was  a  great  preacher,  and  controlled  the  people  as  if  by 
magic.  His  people  were  willing  to  die  with  him.  Wherever 
he  went  to  preach  crowds,  white  and  black,  flocked  to  hear 
him.  His  preaching  was  of  the  old  school  order,  purely  text- 
ual and  abounded  in  numerous  quotations.  He  believed  the 
Bible  was  its  best  interpreter,  and  hence  he  always  strove  to 
make  scripture  explain  scripture.  He  seemed  to  have  eaten  up 
the  Bible.  His  voice  was  strong  and  powerful  and  at  his  per- 
fect control.  He  could  make  it  so  pathetic  as  to  melt  his  con- 
gregation to  tears  at  will.  He  was  humorous  and  wonderfully 
witty  and  extremely  eloquent.  Those  who  went  to  hear  him 
never  regretted  it,  and  could  never  forget  him.  He  preached 
extensively  in  Georgia— at  Augusta,  Macon  and  many  other 
places.  The  Georgia  Legislature  adjourned  a  session  and  in- 
vited him  to  address  the  botly.  As  a  friend  he  was  true ;  as 
an   antagonist  he  was  powerful  and   foxy;  as  a  planner  and 

4 


JfJ+  Hhtory  of  the  First 


debater  his  equals  were  few  in  any  country,  aniong  any  people; 
as  a  financier  he  was  successful ;  as  a  gentleman  he  was  upright, 
and  as  a  Christian  he  was  humble  and  forgiving. 

After  the  split  of  1832,  when  the  disaffected  members  had 
withdrawn  and  formed  the  Third  African  Baptist  Church,  now 
the  First  Bryan  Baptist  Church,  his  people  were  more  attentive 
to  him,  obeyed  him  unhesitatingly,  and  loved  him  more  as  the 
years  passed  by.  He  possessed  a  wonderful  knowledge  of  men 
and  had  a  strange  influence  over  them.  He  saw  much  of  the 
excitement  of  the  Revolutionary  war  and  was  honored  as  body 
servant  of  George  Washington  while  he  was  in  Savannah.  This 
we  get  from  Dr.  Cathcart's  Encyclopedia  of  the  Baptists,  the 
accurac}^  of  which  is,  at  least,  questionable.  Yet  if  he  was 
born  in  1745  he  would  have  been  old  enough. 

We  have  found  several  of  his  statements  contradictory.  He 
says  that  Rev.  Marshall  became  pastor  of  the  Second  African 
Baptist  Church  in  1806,  and  we  think  it  clear  that  he  was  never 
pastor  of  that  church.  Many  of  the  members  who  were  bap- 
tized by  Rev.  Marshall,  and  a  deacon  who  served  under  him, 
are  still  alive,  who  affirm  that  he  was  never  pastor  of  that 
church.  There  never  has  lived  a  negro  in  Savannah  who  was 
the  equal  of  Rev.  Mr.  Marshall.  Through  his  skill  and  won- 
derful executive  ability  the  site  at  Franklin  Square  was  paid 
for,  and  he  laid  the  foundation  for  the  present  beautiful  edifice. 
While  men  loved  him,  they  feared  him  and  quaked  before  him. 
Little  preachers  in  that  day  who  could  do  passably  well  other- 
wise would  cave  in  in  the  presence  of  Rev.  Marshall  and  make 
a  complete  failure.  Yet  he  was  friendly,  sympathetic  and  kind. 
But  as  kindness  generally  breeds  fear,  he  was  possessed  of 
much  kindness  and  hence  was  feared  accordingly.  When  he 
had  well  nigh  strained  his  people  for  money  he  went  ISTorth  for 
the  purpose  of  begging  money  to  complete  his  church.  His 
success  is  not  known.  Returning  he  got  as  far  as  Richmond, 
Ya.,  where  he  died,  full  of  honors,  full  of  good  works,  full  of 
hope  and  full  of  faith.  The  church  sent  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell 
to  bring  his  remains  to  Savannah.  His  sorrowing  people  hon- 
ored in  every  possible  way  the  remains  of  this  venerable  father. 
Many  white  people  followed  this  aged  saint  to  his  last  resting 
place.  Thus  ended  the  long  and  useful  life  of  one  of  the  great- 
est men  in  the  American  pulpit. 

1st.  If  Rev.  Marshall  was  born  in  1775  he  could  not  have  witnessed  much 
about  the  exciting  events  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  which  commenced  in  1775. 

2d.  If  he  was  born  in  1775  he  may  have  been  "converted  and  joined  the 
church  in  1785,"  as  Dr.  Cathcart  says,  but  4t  was  very  rare  in  those  days  for  ne- 
groes to  join  the  church  at  ten  years  of  age,  and  certainly  he  could  not  have  been 
"  licensed  to  preach  not  long  after."    The  Dr.  is  mistaken. 


African  Baptist  Church.  Jf.5 

We  insert  from  Sprague's  Annals  of  the  American  Baptist 
Pulpit  the  following: 

ANDEETT    C.   MARSHALL 1786-1856. 

[From  the  Rev.  J.  P.  Tustin,  D.  D.] 

Charleston,  S.  C,  January  15,  1859. 
Rev.  and  Dear  Sir: 

My  ecclesiastical  connection  with  Andrew  C.  Marshall  and 
his  church  placed  me,  for  several  years,  in  constant  communi- 
cation with  him.  Having  also  to  act  as  a  legal  security  to  meet 
the  municipal  ordinances  of  Savannah  and  the  State  of  Geor- 
gia, with  regards  to  colored  preachers,  I  had  much  to  do  in 
matters  of  counsel  and  discipline  in  his  church.  The  sources 
of  information  relative  to  the  following  memoir  have  been  often 
attested  by  communication  with  the  older  members  of  the 
Georgia  Historical  Society,  and  with  many  of  the  oldest  and 
most  respectable  citizens  of  that  State.  I  am  happy  to  be  able 
to  give  you  these  memorabilia  of  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
colored  men  who  have  appeared  in  our  modern  times. 

Andrew  C.  Marshall,  late  pastor  of  the  First  African  Baptist 
Church  in  Savannah,  Georgia,  has  deservedly  become  a  celeb- 
rity in  the  annals  of  the  American  Baptist  Church.  During 
the  last  quarter  of  a  century  his  name  gradually  attracted  pub- 
lic attention,  until  at  length  it  was  known  in  distant  parts  of 
the  country,  and  even  across  the  Atlantic.  Several  of  the  most 
lively  sketches  of  him  which  appeared  were  given  by  authors 
whose  works  are  current  in  various  languages.  Among  these 
is  the  account  of  Sir  Charles  Lyell  in  his  volumes  published 
after  his  second  scientific  tour  in  the  United  States.  Miss 
Fredrika  Brenner,  in  her  American  tours,  has  presented  a  strik- 
ing portraiture  of  him.  Within  the  last  few  years  of  his  life, 
almost  every  intelligent  stranger  who  might  be  visiting  Savan- 
nah, was  likely  to  seek  out  or  to  hear  this  venerable  preacher, 
and  the  sketches  thus  frequently  produced  were  widely  circu- 
lated by  the  religious  press  of  various  denominations,  and  some 
of  the  leading  secular  papers  in  Northern  cities  had  occasion- 
ally contributed  to  spread  his  fame. 

The  most  noteworthy  fact  which  made  Mr.  Marshall  so  cele- 
brated in  his  later  years,  was  his  reputed  great  age.  During 
his  visit  through  the  Northern  States  in  the  summer  and  fall  of 
1856,  the  last  year  of  his  life,  the  previously  received  version 
of  his  extreme  age  was  extensively  repeated,  and  has  not  been 
discredited.  Some  years  previous  to  that  time  I  had,  as  a  trib- 
ute to  the  cause  of  science,  attempted  to  collect  and  sift  the 


Jf.6  History  of  the  First 


evidence  about  this  story,  which,  if  only  apocryphal,  would 
mislead  persons  engaged  in  ethnological  and  historical  re- 
searches. Literary  and  scientific  gentlemen  had  frequently 
made  reference  to  Mr.  Marshall,  as  an  important  physical  phe- 
nomenon. 

With  no  wish  to  detract  from  a  story  of  popular  interest,  but, 
nevertheless,  with  a  strong  desire  to  arrive  at  perfect  accuracy, 
I  sought  all  the  sources  available  to  myself  for  testing  the 
question  of  Mr.  Marshall's  age.  Several  lines  of  investigation 
were  followed,  which  partly  tended  at  first  to  fix  his  age  from 
ten  to  fifteen  years  below  what  was  commonly  assigned  to  him, 
and  claimed  by  himself. 

One  of  these  lines  of  investigation  was  in  the  personal  recol- 
lections of  the  late  Hon.  John  Macpherson  Berrien,  so  well 
known  as  United  States  Senator  and  Attorney  General  of  the 
United  States.  Judge  Berrien  was  educated  for  the  bar  by 
Judge  Clay,  of  Bryan  county,  Georgia,  by  whom  Andrew  C. 
Marshall  was  owned  as  a  slave,  while  Mr.  Berrien  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  family.  Mr.  Berrien  was  born  August  23,  1781,  and 
after  graduating  at  Princeton,  commenced  the  practice  of  law 
in  Georgia  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  which  was  near  the 
time  when  Mr.  Marshall  began  his  efforts  at  preaching. 

With  his  great  name  for  integrity  and  accuracy,  Judge  Ber- 
rien would  not  be  considered  likely  to  give  countenance  to  any 
opinion  which  was  unsupported  by  valid  evidence.  His  recol- 
lections of  Andrew  C.  Marshall's  appearance  could  hardly  be 
reconciled  with  the  account  which  must  have  made  him  a  per- 
son of  fifty  years  of  age  when  Mr.  Berrien  first  knew  him  as  a 
coachman.  But  it  was  at  most  a  matter  of  impression  with 
Mr.  Berrien,  that  Andrew  was  at  that  period  not  more  than  a 
middle-aged  man.  Judge  Berrien's  impression  can  be  accounted 
for  by  the  fact  that  this  remarkable  African  always  carried  his 
age  so  remarkably  well,  even  at  a  century. 

The  late  venerable  Mr.  Miller,  familiarly  known  in  Georgia 
as  "Cotton  Miller,"  from  his  having  been  the  first  person  who 
sent  the  first  bale  of  cotton  to  Savannah  for  shipment,  was  also 
of  the  opinion  that  Mr.  Marshall's  age  should  have  been  placed 
several  years  below  what  was  commonly  assigned  to  him,  and 
by  him.  Guided  by  such  cautious  and  accurate  men,  who  thus 
seemed  to  discredit  a  popular  and  universally  received  version, 
it  fell  to  my  lot,  some  years  ago,  while  acting  as  one  of  the 
Secretaries  of  the  Georgia  Historical  Society,  to  examine  Mr. 
Marshall  more  closely  than  ever,  as  to  his  personal  history,  and 
to  compare  the  results  of  these  interrogatories  with  other  col- 
lateral evidence.     Being  charged  with  the  duty,  in  behalf  of 


African  Baptist   Church.  J/.7 

the  literary  representative  and  grandson  of  Gen.  Nathaniel 
Green,  of  the  Revolutionary  army,  of  identifying  the  spot 
where  that  hero  was  buried  in  Savannah,  I  found  Andrew  C. 
Marshall  to  be  a  most  useful  adviser  on  points  which  put  at 
once  his  veracity  and  his  accuracy  of  recollection  to  -the  closest 
tests.  Some  of  his  statements  as  to  his  age  at  the  time  of  Gen. 
Greene's  death,  which  occurred  in  1786,  at  first  seemed  to  con- 
firm the  impression  of  Judge  Berrien  and  Mr.  Miller,  already 
referred  to.  On  a  review,  however,  of  that  case,  it  appears  that 
these  interrogatories  were  conducted  too  much  in  the  manner 
of  a  cross-examination  by  a  special  pleader ;  and  Mr.  Marshall's 
confusion  of  mind  or  apparent  inaccuracy  as  to  dates,  could  be 
sufficiently  explained  by  his  want  of  familiarity  with  the  pub- 
lished literary  chronicles  of  the  times  in  question. 

It  is,  therefore,  a  concession  which  is  now  cheerfully  made, 
that  the  doubts  which  I  once  published  as  to  Mr.  Marshall's 
being  truly  a  living  centenarian,  may  not  be  justified.  No  one 
who  intimately  knew  the  venerable  subject  of  this  sketch 
would  suspect  him  of  wishing  to  deceive  in  any  important  mat- 
ter. The  only  abatement  which  any  one  would  feel,  arises  from 
the  well  known  propensity  of  colored  people  in  all  parts  of  the 
Southern  States  to  make  themselves  older  than  they  really  are, 
after  they  reach  to  some  advanced  period.  The  deference  ac- 
corded to  age;  the  freedom  from  labor  which  aged  servants 
enjoy,  and  the  consideration  received  from  those  of  their  own 
race — these  are  among  the  inducements  which  lead  aged  Afri- 
cans to  over-estimate  their  years,  sometimes  by  a  very  consid- 
erable difference. 

It  is  possible  that  Mr.  Marshall  may  have  been  deceived,  not 
only  in  regards  to  his  years,  but  also  as  to  some  other  facts  in 
his  history.  And  yet  it  is  proper  to  remark  that  his  means  of 
knowing  were  better  than  any  others  possessed.  It  must  be 
allowed  that  his  statements  were  not  questioned  by  the  oldest 
and  most  respectable  citizens  of  his  own  city  and  region,  and 
gentlemen  now  living  can  certify  to  more  than  fifty  years' 
knowledge  of  him. 

If  any  other  question  besides  his  age  should  be  raised  as  to 
his  accuracy  or  competency  of  opinion  concerning  himself,  it 
would  be  as  to  the  amount  of  African  blood.  In  his  conforma- 
tion and  general  appearance,  he  would  probably  pass  for  a  true 
mulatto.  But  some  scientific  gentlemen,  accustomed  to  the 
refined  test  which  the  hair  and  other  criteria  of  physiology 
seem  to  have  settled  in  ethnological  researches,  have  formed  a 
decided  opinion  that  Mr.  Marshall  was  more  of  an  African  than 
would  follow  from  a  white  father  and  a  black  mother. 


4-8  History  of  the  First 


His  own  account,  so  often  repeated,  and  so  widely  known 
and  believed,  in  lower  Georgia,  will  now  be  mainly  followed. 
He  always  referred  his  birth  to  the  year  1755,  being  the  time  of 
General  Braddock's  defeat  by  the  French  and  Indians.  This, 
he  said,  had,  from  his  early  recollections,  determined  the  year  of 
his  nativity.  As  informed  by  his  mother,  who  was  an  unmixed 
negress,  his  father  was  an  Englishman  acting  as  an  overseer  in 
South  Carolina,  where  Andrew  was  born.  The  father  left  for 
England  where  he  died  not  long  after  the  birth  of  the  child. 
It  was  asserted  by  Andrew  that  he  had  been  entitled  to  his 
freedom  from  his  birth,  as  his  father  had  arranged  with  a  mu- 
latto person  by  the  name  of  Pendarvis,  before  going  to  Eng- 
land, that  the  negro  mother  and  two  children  which  she  had 
borne  him  were  to  be  provided  for,  and  the  children  educated, 
and  that  upon  his  return  the  father  would  secure  their  free- 
dom. His  premature  death  becoming  known,  the  mulatto  over- 
seer managed  to  enforce  a  claim  against  the  estate  of  the  father, 
and  the  mother  and  children  were  seized  and  sold  as  slaves. 
Andrew  was  sold  to  John  Houston,  Colonial  Governor  of  Geor- 
gia, who  died  when  Andrew  was  about  21  years  of  age. 

Andrew  Marshall  was  twice  married;  the  first  time  at  16 
years  of  age.  By  his  two  marriages  he  had  twenty  children, 
only  one  of  whom  now  survives.  He  was  separated  from  his 
first  wife  after  the  death  of  Governor  Houston,  by  whom  he 
had  been  bequeathed  his  freedom  on  account  of  having  one 
time  saved  his  master's  life.  The  executors,  however,  failed  to 
carry  out  the  will,  and  Andrew  was  again  sold,  being  then 
parted  from  his  first  wife.  He  evaded  the  decision  by  running 
away,  and  was  sold  while  at  large,  becoming  the  property  of 
Judge  Clay,  as  already  mentioned. 

While  in  the  service  of  Judge  Clay,  he  accompanied  his  mas- 
ter, who  several  times  visited  the  Northern  States  in  the  capac- 
ity of  a  member  of  Congress,  and  perhaps  on  some  other  occa- 
sions also.  In  these  visits,  Andrew's  position  as  coachman 
enabled  him  frequently  to  see  General  Washington,  of  whom 
he  was  fond  of  relating  several  striking  incidents.  At  a  later 
period  General  Washington  visited  Savannah,  and  Andrew  was 
honored  with  the  appointment  of  body  servant  to  the  Presi- 
dent. He  was  constantly  near  the  General's  person  during  his 
brief  stay  in  the  city,  acting  as  his  driver,  and  waiting  upon 
him  at  a  public  dinner.  Andrew  said  that  Washington  was 
uniformly  grave  and  serious,  and  that  he  was  never  seen  to 
smile  during  his  whole  visit,  though  he  was  always  calm  and 
pleasant. 

The  congruity  of  Mr.  Marshall's  recollections   seems  to  be 


African  Baptist   Church.  Jfi 

verified,  especially  in  regards  to  bis  age,  in  connection  with  the 
opening  period  of  the  Revolutionary  war.  The  embargo  having 
taken  effect  at  Savannah,  fifteen  merchants  of  that  city  agreed 
to  give  him  a  purse  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars,  on 
condition  that  he  should  carry  word  to  a  number  of  American 
vessels  lying  in  a  bay  on  the  lower  seaboard  and  destined  for 
Savannah.  In  this  achievement  he  was  successful.  The  ves- 
sels were  enabled  to  escape  to  Spanish  protection,  before  the 
courier,  previously  sent,  had  informed  the  fleet  of  their  danger. 

Mr.  Marshall  was  an  eye-witness  of  many  of  the  stirring 
events  which  occurred  in  Savannah  and  its  vicinity  during  the 
Revolutionary  war.  He  was  a  trustworthy  servant,  especially 
when  honored  with  any  unusual  promotion  and  responsibility. 
Even  in  the  last  war  with  England,  he  was  employed,  for  a 
period  of  six  weeks,  by  officers  of  the  government  or  the  army, 
on  some  important  business,  and  for  this  he  refused  any  com- 
pensation, as  he  always  claimed  to  be  a  true  American,  and 
cheerfully  shared  in  the  toils  and  sufferings  of  the  white  popu- 
lation, though  never  with  any  unseemly  pretensions  on  his 
part. 

He  had  distinct  personal  recollections  of  General  Nathaniel 
Greene.  His  account  of  that  hero's  early  death  agrees  with 
the  traditions  which  have  been  carefully  attested  by  gentlemen 
familiar  with  historical  researches.  General  Greene,  imme- 
diately after  the  war,  was  rewarded  with  valuable  grants  of 
land  near  Savannah,  to  which  he  repaired  with  his  family  in 
1783.  Owing  either  to  some  disputed  title,  or  to  rancor  and 
envy  at  the  hero's  valuable  possessions,  he  was  not  allowed  to 
enjoy  them  long.  He  was  exposed  to  so  much  personal  danger 
that  he  was  obliged  to  ride  armed  with  pistols,  in  going  to  and 
from  his  plantation  near  the  city,  and  he  could  travel  only  in 
full  daytime.  Thus  exposed  in  the  midst  of  the  summer's  heat, 
he  was  suddenly  smitten  with  inflammation  of  the  brain,  and 
died  on  the  19th  of  June,  1786.  Andrew  C.  Marshall  could 
recall  all  these  events  with  the  distinctness  of  an  eye-witness. 
His  account  of  the  hero's  funeral,  in  Savannah,  is  the  only 
apparently  faithful  picture  which  can  now  be  furnished,  whether 
from  written  chronicles  or  from  personal  traditions.  He  de- 
scribed the  surprise,  grief  and  indignation  of  the  people  of  the 
city  at  the  early  and  untoward  death  of  General  Greene,  and 
their  willing  minds  but  ineffectual  desires  to  stand  up  for  his 
honor  and  defense.  The  town  and  region  around  were  sum- 
moned to  the  funeral,  and  tubs  of  punch  and  barrels  of  biscuits 
were  placed  along  the  road  near  the  cemetery  to  refresh  the 
wearied  multitude.     Andrew  declared  that  he  could  pace  off 


50  History  of  the  First 


the  distance  from  the  gate  of  the  old  cemetery  on  South  Broad 
street  to  within  half  a  dozen  steps  of  the  spot  where  the  Gen- 
eral was  buried.  But  his  aid  in  verifying  this  locality  had  been 
too  long  deferred,,  when  an  investigation  was  attempted  a  few 
years  ago,  especially  as  it  was  then  established  by  sufficient 
evidence  that  the  remains  of  General  Greene  had  previously 
been  exhumed  and  removed  to  a  spot  which  cannot  now  be 
identified. 

Mr.  Marshall's  force  of  character  seemed  to  have  been  chiefly 
expended  on  worldly  interests,  until  he  was  about  50  years  of 
age.  He  evinced,  even  to  the  last  a  lively  sympathy  in  the 
welfare  of  the  country,  and  was  especially  careful  to  maintain 
the  cause  of  law  and  order  in  the  social  relations  by  which  he 
was  surrounded  in  his  own  city  and  vicinity.  Not  far  from  the 
time  of  his  conversion,  he  also  acquired  his  emancipation.  He 
was  at  that  time  owned  as  a  slave  by  Mr.  Bolton,  whose  family 
name  is  honorably  known  among  the  merchant  princes  of  Sa- 
vannah. The  father  of  Mr.  Bolton  had  been  the  special  friend 
of  the  Countess  of  Huntingdon  while  she  was  patronizing  Mr. 
Whitefield's  mission  in  Savannah,  and  the  orphan  house  at 
Beulieu.  The  Bolton  name  is  associated  by  marriage  with  the 
family  of  the  late  Bev.  William  Jay,  of  Bath,  in  England.  The 
business  partner  of  Mr.  Bolton  was  the  late  venerable  Mr. 
Bi chard  Bichardson,  who  purchased  Andrew,  and,  with  the 
view  of  effecting  his  emancipation,  advanced  him  two  hundred 
dollars,  in  order  to  purchase  himself.  With  his  previous  earn- 
ings, and  with  diligence  and  economy,  under  the  encourage- 
ments of  his  master,  he  saved  enough  to  pay  for  himself  and 
his  whole  family,  then  consisting  of  his  wife  and  four  children, 
his  wife's  father  and  his  own  step-father.  Shortly  after  his  con- 
version he  began  to  preach,  and  in  1806  he  became  pastor  of 
the  Second  Baptist  Church*  in  Savannah,  which  was  a  colored 
church,  in  distinction  from  the  First  or  the  White  Baptist 
Church,  then  recently  formed  by  the  distinguished  Henry  Hol- 
combe,  D.  D.,  who  afterwards  died  as  pastor  of  the  First  Bap- 
tist Church  in  Fhiladelphia.  About  a  thousand  colored  mem- 
bers then  belonged  to  Mr.  Marshall's  church,  and  subsequently 
the  number  increased  to  some  three  thousand,  when  it  was 
thought  best  to  divide  them.  Accordingly  the  colored  church 
was  formed,  which  some  time  afterward  purchased  the  old 
house  of  worship  which  the  White   Baptist   Church   vacated 

*This  cannot  be  true.  The  Second  African  Baptist  Church  was  organized  De- 
cember 26th,  1802-the  First  African  Church  January  20th,  1788.  The  first  was 
never  known  as  the  Second  African  Baptist  Church  iu  distinction  to  the  White 
Baptist  Church. 


African  Baptist  Church.  51 

when  they  built  their  new  brick  meeting-house,  under  the  pas- 
torship of  the  late  Rev.  Henry  O.  Wyer,  and  which  now  formed 
a  part  of  the  large  house  of  worship  known  as  the  First  Bap- 
tist Church  in  Savannah.  The  church  which  Mr.  Marshall 
thus  formed  took  the  name  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church, 
and  he  remained  its  pastor  till  the  day  of  his  death. * 

During  the  long  period  of  his  ministry  Mr.  Marshall  was 
careful  to  preserve  tolerably  good  memorials  of  his  ministerial 
acts.  His  mere  recollections  seemed  nearly  as  accurate  as  if 
they  had  been  written  and  publicly  certified.  He  had  baptized 
about  thirty-eight  hundred  persons,  and  he  supposed  that  over 
four  thousand  had  professed  to  be  converted  under  his  ministry. 
His  personal  influence  extended  over  the  plantations  through 
several  counties  around  Savannah,  and  the  planters  were  gener- 
ally satisfied  with  the  beneficial  effects  of  his  labors.  He  was 
often  sent  for  to  preach  and  to  perform  funeral  services  at  great 
distances,  and  such  visits  were  often  urged  by  the  planters  and 
the  white  people  at  large,  as  well  as  by  the  blacks.  Whenever 
he  visited  any  of  the  larger  cities  his  appearance  in  public  min- 
istrations was  greeted  by  great  multitudes.  He  occasionally 
preached  in  Augusta,  Macon  and  Milledgeville.  as  well  as  in 
Charleston,  and  even  as  far  off  as  in  New  Orleans.  On  some 
occasions  his  audiences  were  composed,  in  large  part,  of  the  most 
respectable  white  people,  and  the  Legislature  of  Georgia  at  one 
time  gave  him  a  hearing  in  an  entire  body.  The  winter  before 
he  died  he  visited  Augusta  and  conducted  a  protracted  meeting, 
which  resulted  in  the  addition  of  over  three  hundred  and  fifty 
persons  to  the  colored  church  in  that  city.  With  all  these  im- 
mense results  to  his  ministry,  Mr.  Marshall  preserved  a  strict 
and  salutary  discipline,  at  least,  such  was  the  constant  effort  and 
rule  of  his  proceedings.  He  was  jealous  of  mere  animal  excite- 
ments, and  generally  unfriendly  even  to  protracted  meetings 
in  his  own  church,  or  in  others  where  he  officiated.  He  relied 
upon  the  appointed  and  ordinary  means  of  grace ;  and  in  his 
own  church,  there  were  seldom  any  efforts  used  beyond  special 
prayer  and  the  faithful  ministrations  of  the  word.  He.  how- 
ever, was  so  deeply  interested  in  the  temperance  cause,  that  he 
encourged,  among  his  people,  those  methods  of  organizations  for 
this  object  which  are  somewhat  kindred  to  the  plan  of  the  Odd 
Fellows.     There  were  also  societies  among  his  flock  for  mutual 

*Mr.  Marshall  did  not  form  the  First  African  Baptist  Church.  The  First  African 
Baptist  Church  was  formed  by  Rev.  Abraham  Marshall  iwhite)  and  Rev.  Jesse 
Peter  (colored)  January  20,  1788.  The  First  African  Baptist  Church  is  twelve 
years  older  than  the  Savannah  Baptist  Church  (white).  They  were  never 
together  and  hence  the  colored  church  could  not  have  come  out  from  the  white 
church.  The  First  African  Baptist  Church  worshipped  in  Yamacraw  before  the 
white  Baptist  Church  was  in  existence. 


52  History  of  the  First 


benefit ;  and  in  these  ways  the  poor  and  the  infirm,  especially 
among  the  free  people  of  color,  who  had  no  legal  masters  to 
care  for  them  in  their  old  age  were  greatly  benefited.  Mr. 
Marshall  was  so  strong  in  his  opposition  to  drunkenness  that 
no  colored  person  would,  by  this  indulgence,  willingly  incur  his 
censure.  There  is  no  doubt  that,  in  this  respect,  he  accom- 
plished much  for  the  cause  among  the  blacks,  and  thus  for  the 
public  welfare  generally. 

The  superiority  of  Mr.  Marshall's  character  and  talents  espe- 
cially appears  in  the  methodical  manner  in  which  he  conducted 
his  own  business,  as  well  as  in  the  discipline  of  his  church. 
Long  after  he  became  a  preacher,  he  had  but  a  small  and  pre- 
carious support  from  any  pecuniary  rewards  for  his  ministry. 
He  supported  himself  and  his  family  as  a  drayman;. but  his 
great  capacity  soon  asserted  itself,  even  in  respect  to  his  mate- 
rial means  of  prosperity.  He  conducted  the  portage  and  dray- 
ing  business  on  a  considerable  scale,  at  one  period  having  owned 
a  number  of  drays  and  teams,  and  even  the  slaves  who  drove 
them.  He  owned  the  large  brick  dwelling  house  in  which  he 
had  lived  for  many  years  previous  to  his  death ;  and  was  at 
one  time  rated  in  property  as  high  as  twenty-five  thousand  dol- 
lars, though  this  was  probably  too  high  an  estimate.  His  prop- 
erty was  diminished  very  considerably  in  his  latter  years.  With 
his  increasing  infirmities  he  began  to  fear  that  he  might  yet  be 
scarcely  saved  from  the  necessity  of  out-door  duties  and  that 
he  might  have  to  give  up  the  easy  carriage  and  horse  which  he 
had  so  long  enjoyed.  He  related  that,  on  one  occasion,  he  had 
advanced  twenty-five  hundred  dollars  to  purchase  a  family  of 
twelve  persons,  to  prevent  their  separation,  and  that  he  never 
received  back  the  money,  except  a  mere  trifle,  which  he  had 
thus  paid.  His  church,  however,  were  abundantly  able  and 
willing  to  provide  for  him ;  and  though  they  did  not  pay  him  a 
fixed  salary,  they  made  regular  contributions,  which  amounted 
to  a  handsome  sum  annually,  and  which  in  any  extremity  could 
doubtless  have  been  increased  by  several  hundred  dollars. 
Prominent  native  citizens  were  always  among  his  tried  friends : 
and  some  of  the  most  respectable  gentlemen  in  Savannah,  of 
different  denominations,  acted  as  trustees  for  his  church,  to  pro- 
tect their  real  estate  and  other  property. 

Mr.  Marshall  possessed  elements  which  would  of  necessity 
have  made  him  a  leading  character  anywhere.  His  Anglo- 
Saxon  temperament  made  him  superior  to  his  African  race. 
His  strength  of  character  showed  itself  in  his  indomitable  per- 
severance, his  calm  self-possession,  his  practical  sagacity,  and  a 
discretion  which  never  failed  him.    Withal  he  had  a  genial  and 


African  Baptist  Church. 


even  humorous  temper;  and  his  countenance  bore  the  finest 
lines  of  expression.  He  was  entirely  free  from  superstition, 
and  gave  no  countenance  to  marvellous  relations  of  experience, 
even  in  a  work  of  grace.  He  could  penetrate  beneath  disguises, 
and  few  men,  white  or  black,  of  any  age,  could  surpass  him  in 
reading  human  character.  The  deference  which  he  always 
showed  for  the  laws  and  institutions  of  the  country  was  com- 
bined with  a  high  measure  of  self-respect,  and  frequently  with 
a  decision  and  inflexibility  which  might  be  taken  advantage  of 
by  unprincipled  white  persons.  There  was  a  period  of  about 
two  years — from  1819  to  1821 — when  Mr.  Marshall  became 
somewhat  unpopular  with  the  white  people  of  his.  own  denom- 
ination, on  account  of  his  extreme  views  of  theology,  which  at 
first  bordered  on  Antinomianism.  and  at  length  receded  to  the 
opposite  extreme  of  Sacramentalism  in  Baptism,  as  held  by 
Alexander  Campbell.  During  that  time,  and  while  engaged  in 
his  secular  avocations,  he  had  violated  the  laws  by  contraband 
dealings  with  negroes.  He  had  made  purchases  from  slaves 
having  no  tickets  with  leave  to  trade  and  sell;  and,  though 
many  white  people  had  laid  the  foundation  of  large  success  in 
business  before,  as  others  have  since,  by  contraband  with  blacks, 
advantage  was  taken  of  Mr.  Marshall's  inadvertency,  and  hap- 
pening together  with  his  temporary  unpopularity,  he  was  prose- 
cuted and  sentenced  to  be  publicly  whipped  in  the  market- 
place. The  kindness  of  his  former  master,  Mr.  Eichardson, 
and  the  feelings  of  many  of  the  best  citizens,  would  not  allow 
him  to  suffer ;  and  personal  witnesses  of  the  scene,  yet  living, 
can  attest  that  the  whipping  was  onty  a  semblance — the  con- 
stable, receiving  instructions  not  to  scratch  his  skin  or  to  draw 
blood — his  old  master  also  being  at  his  side  to  see  that  these 
precautions  were  faithfuliy  and  humanely  observed.  While 
Mr.  Marshall  was  unvaiwing  in  his  deference  to  white  people, 
and  was  never  distrusted  for  any  disloj-alty  to  the  public  peace ; 
and  while  he  was  decided  in  asserting  the  necessity  and  advan- 
tages of  the  present  institutions  in  the  South,  he  yet  never  hes- 
itated to  make  a  firm  and  respectful  declaration  of  the  rights  of 
conscience  in  matters  of  religion.  He  sometimes  alluded  to 
his  celebrated  uncle,  the  Rev.  Andrew  Bryan,  who  was  a  col- 
ored preacher  of  nearly  as  great  reputation  as  ever  Andrew  C. 
Marshall  possessed,  and  who  died  at  an  extremely  great  age,  as 
pastor  of  the  colored  church  in  Savannah.  In  one  of  the  tur- 
bulent outbreaks  of  religious  bigotry  among  the  baser  sort  of 
people,  which  happened  before  the  demoralizing  effects  of  the 
Revolutionary  war  had  been  followed  by  better  morals  and 
manners,   this    old    preacher,   Andrew    Bryan,   was    silenced 


5Jf  History  of  the  First 


from  preaching,  and,  upon  his  assuming  again  to  preach,  he 
was  publicly  whipped.  But,  after  this  flagellation,  be  declared 
that  he  could  not  stop  preaching,  even  if  at  the  cost  of  a  mar- 
tyr's sufferings.  This  old  man  seemed  ever  to  have  been  the 
model  of  a  true  preacher,  with  Andrew  Marshall ;  and  when 
he  died,  his  nephew  and  successor  caused  a  beautiful  mural 
tablet  to  be  raised  in  his  church,  and  an  other  large  tablet  of 
marble  over  his  grave,  in  which  were  recited  the  events  of  his 
life,  not  omitting  the  whipping  and  persecution  he  had  endured 
for  righteousness'  sake.  The  monument  will  probably  long 
remain  in  the  colored  cemetery  at  Savannah. 

The  bent  and  tone  of  Mr.  Marshall's  mind  was  of  the  old 
Calvinistic  order.  His  clear  intellect  was  equal  to  the  best  dis- 
tinctions in  theology ;  and  though  he  was  rather  too  fond  of 
sometimes  saying  in  public  that  he  never  had  a  day's  learning 
in  his  life,  yet  he  had  much  of  the  discipline  which  every  supe- 
rior mind  acquires  and  asserts  for  itself,  by  the  very  necessity 
and  outgrowth  of  self-education ;  for  every  mind  that  is  truly 
educated,  when  we  look  at  the  last  analysis,  educates  itself. 

He  owned  a  considerable  number  of  books ;  and  among  those 
evidently  the  most  used  were  Dr.  Gill's  Commentaries.  In 
his  treatment  of  a  subject  in  some  of  his  pulpit  performances 
there  was  observable  the  grasp  of  a  mind  which  would  be 
deservedly  called  great.  Very  often  indeed,  he  intermingled 
incidents  of  his  personal  experience,  and  then  would  seem  to 
run  into  a  style ;  but  even  thc?e  discursive  qualities  served  to 
keep  alive  the  attention  of  his  simple  flock.  But  a  man  who 
could  make  some  of  the  high  mental  efforts  which  Andrew 
Marshall  at  times  displayed,  would  be  pronounced  as  fully  equal 
to  any  subject  which  he  would  find  occasion  to  meet,  if  allowed 
opportunity  for  preparation. 

The  tones  of  his  voice  seemed  rather  to  make  his  preaching 
of  the  conversational  order,  while  yet  there  was  really  a  unity 
of  plan  and  a  purpose,  and  a  progress,  in  the  whole  deliverance. 
In  his  large  house  of  worship,  the  soft  tones  of  his  voice  would 
reach  the  farthest  corner,  and  penetrate  every  ear.  He  never 
used  notes  in  preaching;  but  his  self-possession  never  failed 
him.  His  voice  was  so  deep,  sonorous  and  tender,  that  its 
capacity  for  the  expression  of  pathos  was  unsurpassed.  In  his 
Scripture  readings  and  in  reciting  hymns  his  power  was  always 
felt.  His  favorite  hymns  and  selections  of  Scripture  were  some- 
times pronounced  with  such  effect  that  the  most  highly  educated 
and  discriminating  person  would  never  forget  the  impressions 
of  such  readings. 

His  appearance   was  commanding,  though   he   was  neither 


African  Baptist   Church. 


stout  nor  tall,  compared  with  the  average  of  well-formed  men. 
His  African  skin  and  hair  compensated  by  a  face  of  intelli- 
gence superior  to  the  limitations  of  his  race.  His  hair  was  of 
the  clearest  white,  and,  though  truly  African,  it  rose  in 
unwonted  profusion,  giving  him  the  presence  of  a  venerable 
patriarch.  His  teeth  were  sound  and  beautifully  clear:  his 
sight  and  hearing  as  good  to  the  last  as  in  middle  life,  and  his 
lower  limbs  only  began  seriously  to  fail  him  on  reaching  his 
one  hundredth  year.  In  some  of  his  glowing  pulpit  efforts  his 
face  and  whole  person  were  irradiated  with  intelligence,  and 
one  could  not  hear  him  at  such  times  without  feeling  himself 
within  the  influence  of  a  superior  $iind. 

In  the  last  year  of  Mr.  Marshall's  life,  it  became  an  object  of 
extreme  desire  with  him  to  erect  a  new  and  better  house  of 
worship  for  the  church  which  he  felt  he  soon  must  leave.  The 
old  house  (being  built  of  wood)  had  become  much  dilapidated, 
and  the  city  ordinance  would  not  allow  another  wooden  build- 
ing to  be  erected  on  that  spot,  which  was  really  an  eligible  one. 
Feeling  the  importance  of  his  cause,  after  making  some  progress 
in  Savannah  and  its  vicinhy,  Mr.  Marshall  resolved  upon 
another  journey  to  the  North,  which  he  had  frequently  visited 
in  the  days  and  in  the  presence  of  Washington.  He  was  accom- 
panied by  his  wife,  and  he  hoped  also  to  receive  some  benefit 
by  consulting  physicians  there  for  his  infirmities,  which  neither 
nature  nor  medicine  could  much  longer  resist.  He  was  respect- 
fully received  by  some  of  the  most  prominent  of  the  New  York 
clergy  of  various  denominations.  He  preached  with  acceptance 
in  several  of  the  Baptist  pulpits, — among  them  Dr.  Cone's  and 
Dr.  Magoon's, — and  in  those  of  other  denominations,  one  of 
which  was  that  of  Dr.  Krebs;  and  very  soon  he  received  in  that 
city  about  six  hundred  dollars  for  his  object. 

But  his  race  was  run.  He  was  soon  admonished  to  return 
home  at  once,  if  he  wished  to  see  his  own  people  again  and  to 
die  among  them.  Extremely  weak,  and  every  day  becoming 
more  unwell,  he  reached  Richmond  in  his  journey  by  land,  and 
thence  he  could  proceed  no  farther.  Having  a  letter  to  the 
Rev.  B.  Manly,  Jr.,  President  of  the  Richmond  Female  College, 
he  desired  his  direction  to  some  place  where  he  could  stay. 
Mr.  Manly  promptly  and  cheerfully  provided  for  him  at  his 
own  house,  where  the  old  man  lingered  for  more  than  a  month, 
evincing  the  same  gracious  affections  and  the  same  superior 
traits  of  character  which  had  crowned  and  graced  his  life  for  so 
many  years.  Here,  on  the  8th  of  December,  1856,  he  breathed 
his  last.  His  remains  were  carefully  conveyed  to  Savannah, 
where  his  funeral  took  place  on  Sabbath,  the  14th  of  the  same 


56  History  of  the  First 


month.  The  demonstrations  of  interest  on  this  last  solemn 
occasion  of  his  earthly  history  were  imequaled  by  anything  of 
the  kind  in  that  city  or  region  where  a  colored  person  was  con- 
cerned. An  immense  procession  of  about  a  mile  long,  with 
fifty-eight  carriages — either  loaned  by  families  in  the  city  to 
their  servants  or  other  colored  friends,  or  occupied  (as  in  many 
instances)  by  respectable  white  people  themselves. — followed 
him  from  his  church  to  his  grave.  His  funeral  sermon  was 
preached  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Ronbeau.  pastor  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  in  Savannah.  Not  more  than  two  or  three 
funerals,  whether  civil  or  military,  and  those  of  the  most  distin- 
guished citizens  of  the  plact,  have  witnessed  so  large  a  collec- 
tion of  people  in  the  course  of  the  present  century  in  that  city 
as  followed  to  the  last  resting  place  the  remains  of  the  centena- 
rian, Andrew  Marshall. 

Yours  respectfully, 

J.  P.  TT7STIX. 


African  Baptist   Church. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

Rev.  William  J.  Campbell — His  Long  and  Useful  Life— A 
King  among  His  People. 

Rev.  William  J.  Campbell  was  born  January  1st,  1S12.  He 
was  born  a  slave.  He  traveled  extensively  with  his  master, 
and  thereby  had  an  opportunity  of  learning  much  by  traveling. 
He  was  baptized  by  Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall,  about  1830,  and 
licensed  to  preach  by  the  church  on  February  4th,  1855.  He 
was  assistant  to  Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall,  and  when  Mr.  Mar- 
shall went  North  to  beg  money  for  the  church  he  left  Mr. 
Campbell  in  charge  of  the  church.  When  he  died  in  Richmond, 
on  his  return,  Mr.  Campbell  was  appointed  by  the  church  to 
accompany  his  remains  to  Savannah.  Soon  after  this  he  was 
ordained  by  the  Executive  Board  of  the  Sunsbury  Baptist 
Association  and  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  First  African 
Baptist  Church.  This  was  in  1857.  He  immediately  entered 
upon  the  work  which  the  venerable  Father  Marshall  had  laid 
down.     He  tore  down  the   wooden   building;  and  erected   the 


58  History  of  the  First 


beautiful  brick  edifice  which  was  iu  the  heart  of  Father  Mar- 
shall to  do  before  he  left  the  walks  of  men.  The  people  rallied 
to  him  with  the  same  earnestness  and  love  (if  not  greater)  as 
they  did  to  Father  Marshall.  No  man  ever  had  more  influence 
over  a  people  than  Reverend  Campbell.  He,  however,  had  his 
troubles,  too.  He  was  accused  of  stealing  cotton  on  the  Bay 
about  this  time.  It  had  a  bad  effect  upon  the  church,  and 
gloom  once  more  spread  her  drapery  over  this  great  church. 
This,  however,  was  proven  to  be  false,  and  the  sun  of  peace 
and  prosperity  again  leaped  forth  from  his  hiding  place  and 
shone  with  resplendent  brilliancy  and  glory  upon  a  heavy- 
hearted  people,  and  kissing  away  their  sorrows  they  went  on 
their  way  rejoicing. 

Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell  was  a  man  of  keen  foresight,  iron  will, 
and  a  wonderful  executive  ability.  He  was  a  good  preacher. 
He  had  read  much,  and  well  remembered  what  he  read.  His 
preaching  was  on  the  running  commentary  order,  often  taking 
a  whole  chapter  for  his  subject.  He  had  a  peculiar  sonorous 
voice,  and  spoke  to  the  hearts  of  men.  If  a  person  once  heard 
him  line  out  a  hymn  he  would  not  soon  forget  it.  His  prayer 
meeting  lectures  were  sublime.  Bishop  Holsey  said  of  him: 
"The  grandest  lectures  I  ever  heard  were  Reverend  Campbell's 
prayer  meeting  lectures."  The  people  were  satisfied  to  see  him 
in  the  pulpit.  His  people  would  rather  hear  him  give  out  a 
hymn  than  hear  anybody  else  preach,  let  him  be  never  so  elo- 
quent. He  was  as  black  as  he  well  could  have  been,  but  he 
was  neat,  handsome,  polite,  and  extremely  dignified.  What- 
ever he  felt  like  saying  in  the  pulpit  he  said.  He  was, not 
afraid  to  tell  the  truth  as  it  was  in  Jesus.  He  was  for  many 
years  a  deacon  and  a  member  of  the  choir.  He  was  a  good 
singer,  and  therefore  enforced  good  singing  in  his  choir.  He 
was  as  mUch  beloved  by  the  white  people  almost  as  by  the 
colored.  Sinners  quaked  before  him.  The  church  soon  ran  up 
to  4,000  members.  He  controlled  the  surrounding  country. 
He  controlled  from  Savannah  to  Darien,  Brunswick,  and  all 
the  country  adjacent  to  Savannah.  His  praise  was  on  the 
tongues  of  everybody,  and  especially  the  saints.  His  people 
would  do  just  what  he  told  them  to  do.  When  he  spoke  it  was 
law.  If  he  said  a  thing  was  wrong,  all  the  world  could  not 
make  his  people  believe  otherwise.  It  would  have  been  an 
insult  to  have  attempted  it. 

Reverend  Campbell  was  widely  known  and  equally  respected. 
The  church  usually  gave  him  three  months'  vacation  each  year, 
and  sent  a  servant  with  him.  He  received  as  a  salary  $100  per 
month  and  everything  he  wanted.     He  was  a  favorite  of  North- 


African  Baptist   Church.  59 

era  visitors ;  they  preferred  going  to  his  church  to  any  other  in 
the  city.  He  was  in  the  organization  of  the  Zion  Baptist  Asso- 
ciation, the  Missionary  Baptist  Convention  of  Georgia,  and  the 
Mount  Olive  Baptist  Association.  In  all  of  these  he  played  a 
conspicuous  part.  The  people  around  the  coast  would  hail  his 
coming  among  them  as  a  priest.  He  had  twelve  or  fourteen 
prayer  houses  connected  with  the  church,  which  were  as  large 
as  many  churches.  Over  these  he  appointed  leaders,  who 
reported  to  him  monthly  their  condition  and  collections.  To 
these  societies — for  by  that  name  they  are  known — he  would 
go  at  his  leisure  and  they  would  always  prepare  a  great  feast 
for  him.  He  was  kind  and  loving  to  his  officers,  and  controlled 
the  church,  absolutely,  for  twenty-three  years  with  a  four  page 
constitution.  In  most  things  he  was  law  to  the  people,  and 
from  his  decision  no  one  dared  appeal.  As  he  grew  older,  he 
was  troubled  with  an  impediment  in  his  speech.  He  finally 
got  so  he  could  not  speak  without  much  difficulty.  About  this 
time  a  serious  trouble  broke  out  in  the  church ;  for  this  emer- 
gency too  much  of  his  strength  had  been  spent  and  old  age  and 
paralysis  had  done  their  work  too  well.  That  powerful  voice 
the  people  had  long  obeyed  was  now  so  palsied  that  it  fell  with- 
out effect,  and  the  enemies  had  decidedly  the  advantage  and 
they  never  failed  to  use  it.  An  awful  trouble  broke  out  in  the 
church,  such,  perhaps,  as  few  churches  in  all  ages  have  ever 
witnessed,  or  need  ever  have.  It  was  not  the  fault  of  Rev.  W. 
J.  Campbell.  When  the  trouble  started  he  was  in  Griffin,  Ga. 
If  there  is  any  blame  upon  Mr.  Campbell  it  is  that  he  left  the 
church.  The  church  never  turned  him  off;  the  church  could 
not  have  had  the  heart  to  do  that.  He  was  accused  of  taking- 
sides  with  Deacon  Robert  P.  Young,  his  spiritual  child,  who 
was  accused  of  stealing  money  from  the  church.  Rev.  Mr. 
Campbell  was  true  to  a  friend,  and  if  he  is  chargeable  at  all  it 
is  due  to  his  disposition  to  be  perfectly  true  to  a  friend. 

Reverend  Campbell  baptized  several  thousand  persons.  He 
was  purely  a  gospel  preacher,  and  gave  his  attention  to  nothing 
else.  His  house  was  a  place  of  peace  and  comfort.  He  was 
brought  up  with  rich  white  people  and  had  a  remarkably  good 
taste.  As  a  ruler  he  was  strict  and  able.  As  a  pastor  he  was 
attentive  and  loving.  He  understood  men,  and  there  was  no 
fear  of  them  in  his  composition. 

He  lived  to  a  good  old  age,  and  he  will  be  remembered  with 
tenderest  affection  while  memory  holds  her  place  or  saints  in 
Savannah  live.  We  will  refer  to  him  again  in  another  chapter 
in  considering  the  church  trouble. 

5 


GO  History  of  the  First 


CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Great  Trouble  of  1877— The  Cause— Its  Fierceness— The 

Split — The  Call  of  Rev.  G-ibbons  and  the  Death  of  Rev. 

W.  J.  Campbell,  and  the  Final  Settlement. 

In  1877,  while  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell  was.  away  on  his  vaca- 
tion, the  great  trouble  began.  The  cause  of  this  trouble  was 
the  report  that  Deacon  Robert  P.  Young  had  stolen  money 
from  the  church.  There  is  doubt  about  the  correctness  of  this 
charge  when  all  things  are  calmly  considered.  Mr.  Willis 
Harris  saw  Deacon  Young  put  the  money  in  front  of  the  organ, 
and  after  his  back  was  turned  took  it  away.  Deacon  Young, 
after  the  communion  was  over,  reported  to  Deacon  F.  M. 
Williams  what  had  occurred.  •  Deacon  Williams  told  him  to 
say  nothing  about  it ;  perhaps  some  one  had  taken  it  to  tease 
him ;  but  if  he  did  not  get  it  to  make  it  known  to  the  brethren 
on  finance  night,  which  was  Tuesday  night  following.  Deacon 
Young  took  the  advice  of  Deacon  Williams,  but  on  Monday  the 
news  of  this  occurrence  was  all  over  the  streets.  Mr.  AVillis 
Harris  brought  the  money  to  the  church  the  next  following 
Thursday  night  and  attempted  to  give  it  to  the  church,  but  was 
prevented  by  Deacon  Richard  Baker,  who  opposed  it,  and  to 
avoid  trouble  on  that  night  the  money  was  kept  and  presented 
to  the  church  in  a  special  conference  on  the  following  Sunday, 
There  were  $22.32  in  the  basket.  Mr.  Harris  reported  that  he 
caught  Deacon  Young  stealing  money.  This  very  naturally 
created  quite  a  sensation,  and  intense  excitement   prevailed. 

While  it  is  not  clear  that  Deacon  Young  meant  to  steal  the 
mooey  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  his  conduct  was  very 
suspicious  and  justly  aroused  the  displeasure  of  the  church. 
He  should  have  made  the  matter  known  to  all  of  the  brethren 
while  they  were  counting  the  money,  and  a  search  for  the 
missing  basket  should  have  been  inaugurated ;  and  should  that 
have  failed,  announcements  from  the  pulpit  would  have  been 
in  order.  From  the  fact  that  this  was  not  done  rather  weak- 
ened Deacon  Young's  case.  While  Deacon  Young  was  decidedly 
wrong,  Mr.  Willis  Harris  was  decidedly  wrong  also,  and  his 
action  was  totally  at  variance  with  the  precepts  of  the  gospel. 
It  was  his  duty  to  have  gone  to  Deacon  Young  and  labored 
with  him  as  the  gospel  enjoins  before  it  was  in  order  to  tell  the 
church.     Twenty-two  dollars  and  thirty-two  cents  were  but  a 


African  Baptist   Church.  61 

trifling  affair  as  compared  with  the  harm  which  came  out  of 
this  case.  Then,  besides,  Mr.  Willis  Harris  himself  was  a  most 
notorious  thief. 

The  truth  of  the  matter  seems  to  be  this :  Mr.  Willis  Harris 
had  not  been  long  deposed  from  the  office  of  deacon,  and  sup- 
posing that  Mr.  Young  wielded  a  deal  of  influence  in  bringing 
about  his  deposition,  he  watched  for  and  coveted  every  oppor- 
tunity to  get  even  with  him.  It  is  more  than  likely  that  he 
craved  an  opportunity  to  vent  the  prejudice  of  a  malignant  heart 
upon  Deacon  Young.  Since  he  was  actuated  from  improper 
motives  his  testimony  in  this  case  should  be  viewed  in  that 
light.  It  is  not  strange  that  this  report  should  have  excited 
the  members.     The  deacons  should  have  acted  wiser. 

Deacon  Robert  P.  Young  was  tried  before  the  church  and 
made  an  humble  christian  apology,  and  his  carelessness  in 
handling  the  church's  money  was  pardoned.  He  explained 
rather  than  confessed.  It  was  not  required  for  him  to  confess 
stealing  the  money.  Deacon  Richard  Baker  contended  that 
Deacon  Young  ought  not  to  make  the  apology.  Whereas  he 
had  been  requested  by  the  church  to  resign,  and  had  promised 
to  do  so,  Deacon  Baker  contended  that  he  should  continue  to 
discharge  the  duties  of  a  deacon.  Deacon  Young  attempted  to 
carry  out  the  instructions  of  Deacon  Baker.  This  started  the 
war  in  right  earnest.  The  lay  brethren  then  determined  that 
Deacon  Young  should  not  pass  the  sacrament.  This  was  well 
caucussed. 

In  the  Conference  of  October  22,  1877,  Mr.  J.  C.  Williams 
moved  to  reconsider  the  motion  passed  in  the  August  Con- 
ference pardoning  Deacon  R.  P.  Young.  This  was  ruled  out 
upon  the  ground  that  he  made  the  motion  to  expel  in  August 
and  voted  in  the  negative. 

Mr.  J.  C.  Habersham  then  made  the  motion  that  Mr.  AVil- 
lianis'  motion  be  sustained,  and  it  was  carried.  This  brought 
Deacon  Young  back  under  the  discipline  of  the  church.  This 
was  wrong,  of  course,  as  no  member  should  be  pardoned  by  a 
church  at  one  meeting  and  tried  at  another  meeting  for  the 
same  offense,  except  some  new  developments  had  come  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  church.  However,  the  motion  of  Mr.  Hab- 
ersham was  a  virtual  appeal  from  the  decision  of  the  chair. 
This  is  generally  admissible,  but  on  this  occasion  it  was  at  vari- 
ance with  every  principle  of  justice  and  decidedly  wrong. 

The  Conference  adjourned  at  this  stage,  leaving  Deacon  Young 
under  the  charge  from  which  the  church  had  once  freed  him. 
The  first  Sunday  in  November  being  the  communion,  many  of 
the  brethren  had  decided  that  Deacon  Young,  being  under  at 


62  History  of  the  First 


charge,  should  not  carry  around  the  cororuunion.  Several  of 
the  lay  brethren  waited  on  the  officers  that  morning  at  prayer 
meeting,  informing  them  that  they  had  learned  that  it  was  the 
intention  of  some  to  have  Deacon  Young  carry  around  the 
sacrament  in  the  afternoon,  and  urged  the  officers  to  wait  on 
Rev.  Campbell  and  beg  him  not  to  allow  Deacon  Young  to  offi- 
ciate in  the  communion.  At  3  p.  m.  of  the  same  day,  when 
Mr.  Campbell  called  the  officers  to  pass  to  them  the  bread, 
Mr.  James  B.  Lewis  and  Mr.  Joshua  Hicks  arose  and  in  open 
church  said:  "Mr.  Campbell,  you  cannot  give  the  communion 
to  Young  to  pass  around  because  he  is  under  the  dealing  of  the 
church."  Mr.  Campbell  said  to  Deacon  Young:  "Go  on,  if 
they  want  to  stop  you,  let  them  do  it."  Deacon  Young  took 
the  communion  and  went  to  the  choir,  where  he  was  accus- 
tomed to  carry  the  communion.  Mr.  Alexander  Rannair,  ac- 
cording to  a  previous  understanding  of  his  followers,  shut  the 
door  of  the  choir  and  said  to  Deacon  Young:  "Young,  you 
know  you  are  under  a  charge,  and  we  don't  want  any  bread 
from  you  up  here."  This  created  quite  a  sensation  and  not  a 
little  confusion  in  the  church.  Mr.  Rannair  had  no  earthly 
right  to  take  this  step  in  the  church  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
If  he  did  not  want  to  accept  the  wine  at  the  hand  of  Deacon 
Young  he  had  the  privilege  that  never  has  been  denied  a 
man — to  refuse  it.  Nothing  can  justify  this  rash  and  incon- 
siderate course.  Neither  had  Mr.  James  B.  Lewis  nor  Mr. 
Joshua  Hicks  the  right  to  take  any  such  steps  as  they  did, 
calling  their  pastor  in  open  church  and  affirming  that  Deacon 
Young  should  not  carry  around  the  communion.  It  showed 
that  the  excitement  had  been  worked  up  to  a  very  high  pitch. 
It  is  true  that  Mr.  Campbell  was  wrong  in  giving  the  com- 
munion to  Deacon  Young  under  the  then  existing  circum- 
stances. If  there  was  a  charge  against  him  he  had  no  right  to 
call  him  to  pass  the  holy  communion  to  those  who  held  him 
charged.  No  wise  apology  can  be  given  for  this  indiscretion. 
The  proper  way  for  them  to  have  done  was  to  have  refused 
accepting  it,  and  brought  the  matter  up  in  the  next  conference. 
Deacon  Young,  if  he  had  the  proper  christian  spirit,  would  not 
have  attempted  to  pass  around  the  holy  eucharist,  knowing 
that  a  large  number  of  the  membership  opposed  it  and  enter- 
tained doubts  as  to  his  innocence  of  the  charge  of  stealing 
money.  This  course  of  procedure  upon  the  part  of  some  of  the 
members  showed  that  the  heretofore  powerful  pastor  was 
rapidly  losing  power  over  his  people.  If  the  pastor  had  taken 
a  second  sober  thought  he  might  have  acted  a  little  more 
^cautiously,  and  thereby  have  averted  this  dreadful  storm.     It 


African  Baptist   Church.  63 

should  have  been  evident  to  him  that  he  would  not  have  the 
strength  to  pull  through  it. 

On  Tuesday,  of  the  same  week,  Deacons  Richard  Baker.  P.  H. 
Butler  and  R.  P.  Young  swore  out  warrants  against  the  follow- 
ing brethren :  March  Haynes,  John  E.  Grant.  John  C.  Haber- 
sham, Alexander  Rannair  and  Samuel  Roberts.  These  were 
tried;  but  Messrs.  Alexander  Rannair,  Joshua  Hicks  and 
James  B.  Lewis  were  found  guilty  and  fined  810  each:  the 
others  were  acquitted.  This  did  not  settle  the  trouble.  These 
brethren  were  only  more  determined  in  their  fight.  This  was 
wrong  in  the  deacons,  and  only  served  to  make  bad  matters 
worse. 

At  the  conference  of  November  19th,  1877,  these  deacons, 
having  been  notified  to  be  present,  and  failing,  were  expelled. 
This  was  rather  hasty.  It  was  now  evident  that  the  war  bad 
begun.  The  brethren  gave  bond  and  employed  counsel  and 
went  to  law.  This  case  created  almost  universal  excitement. 
The  courts  were  baffled  for  five  or  six  years,  and  finally  recom- 
mended a  compromise  upon  the  introduction  of  a  bill  of  equity 
by  the  followers  of  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell. 

The  day  he  left  the  church  can  never  be  forgotten.  When 
many  who  were  in  the  church  ceased  to  hear  him  and  honor 
his  gray  locks,  he  arose  and  said:  "My  children,  all  who  are 
with  me  follow  me."  He  left  the  church,  and  as  might  be 
expected  some  of  the  best  members  of  the  church  followed  their 
aged  chieftain.  Old  age  and  paralysis  had  done  their  work  on 
him,  and  he  was  rapidly  fading  away.  The  party  that  had 
possession  of  the  church  met  in  rapid  succession  to  make  sure 
their  position.  The  followers  of  Mr.  Campbell  were  none  the 
less  assiduous  and  determined.  They  had  caucuses  in  rapid 
succession.  The  leader  on  Mr.  Campbell's  side  was  R.  P. 
Young.  He  furnished  the  brains  for  the  party,  as  the  pastor 
was  now  almost  an  invalid.  This  was  a  feast  for  the  lawyers, 
and  they  harvested  richly  from  the  disaffection  of  the  First 
African  Baptist  Church.  As  men  do  not  generally  care  how 
long  a  good  paying  position  lasts,  it  is  quite  natural  that  the 
lawyers  had  no  special  objection  to  the  continuation  of  the  case 
in  court. 

On  the  17th  of  December,  1877,  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell  left  the 
church.  He  had  been  requested  to  take  the  chair  and  preside 
over  the  conference,  but  declined,  whereupon  Deacon  F.  M. 
Williams  was  called  to  the  chair.  After  the  minutes  of  No- 
vember 19th,  1877,  were  read,  he  (Mr.  Campbell)  arose  and 
said:  "That  is  all  I  come  for,  to  hear  that  minute.''  Deacon 
F.  M.  Williams  begged  him  not  to  leave,  but  this  was  useless. 


64  History  of  the  First 


When  he  had  made  up  his  mind  to  do  a  thing  remonstrances 
were  useless.  He  simply  commanded  his  followers  to  follow 
him,  and  many  of  them  did  so.  When  he  was  going  out,  Mr. 
Peter  Houston,  who  had  some  difference  with  Mr.  Campbell 
because  he  had  been  expelled  some  years  prior  for  issuing  a 
warrant  against  one  of  the  sisters,  met  him  at  the  door  and 
said:  "Mr.  Campbell,  what  did  I  tell  you;  when  I  would  be 
coming  in  you  would  be  going  out."  Mr.  Campbell  replied: 
"Do,  Houston,  for  God's  sake  let  me  alone."  Mr.  Houston 
told  him  this  j^ears  ago  when  he  was  turned  ouf  of  the  church, 
and  did  actually  live  to  see  it.  But  his  (Houston's)  end  was 
not  at  all  glorious.  He  was  one  of  Mr.  Campbell's  shrewdest 
and  ablest  opposers.  But  he  came  to  his  death  in  a  mysterious, 
inglorious  way.  It  is  not  positively  known  whether  he  was 
murdered  or  committed  suicide.  He  was,  however,  heart- 
broken by  domestic  troubles  and  disaffection.  Mr.  Houston's 
prophesy  of  Mr.  Campbell  came  true,  and  so  did  Mr.  Campbell's 
prophesy  of  Mr.  Houston  come  true.  Mr.  Campbell  said  no 
good  would  follow  Mr.  Houston.  For  several  years  Mr.  Hous- 
ton had  terrible  family  troubles.  Many  of  the  members  of  the 
church  meant  to  have  their  way,  but  very  few  of  them  wanted 
Mr.  Campbell  to  leave  the  church.  Mr.  Campbell  went  out 
into  the  square  and  addressed  his  followers.  Mr.  L.  J.  Petti- 
grew,  a  prominent  character  on  the  side  of  the  majority,  went 
out  and  begged  Mr.  Campbell  to  return  to  the  church,  but  to 
no  avail. 

On  Thursday  night  following  this  Conference  Mr.  Campbell, 
however,  returned  to  the  church,  accompanied  by  Be  v.  James 
M.  Simms  and  Bev.  U.  L.  Houston.  The  brethren  not  kncw- 
ing  that  he  would  return,  had  requested  Licentiate  John  Xes- 
bit  to  preach.  Mr.  Campbell  not  knowing  this  had  invited 
Bev.  U.  L.  Houston  to  preach.  This  Mr.  Campbell  stated  to 
the  church,  whereupon  Brethren  Joseph  C.  Williams  and  Lewis 
J.  Pettigrew  objected,  stating  that  Brother  Nesbit  had  been 
invited  to  preach,  and  that  they  preferred  to  hear  him  to  Bev. 
Houston,  and  Bev.  Houston  said  that  he  would  rather  hear 
Brother  Nesbit  himself.  This  Mr.  Campbell  agreed  to,  and 
Brother  Nesbit  preached.  When  the  services  were  over,  Bev. 
James  M.  Simms  stated  to  the  church  that  he  was  invited  by 
Mr.  Campbell,  his  cousin,  to  be  with  him  to-night,  and  express- 
ing great  sorrow  for  the  trouble  then  existing  in  the  church. 
Deacon  B.  B.  Young,  who  was  the  clerk  of  the  church,  came 
forward  to  read  out  the  letters  for  persons  that  had  been  sent 
in  the  care  of  the  church,  which  was  the  custom,  when  Mr. 
March  Haines  and  Mr.  John  E.  Grant  objected  to  his  reading 


African  Baptist  Church.  65 

them  as  he  was  under  a  charge.  This,  of  course,  was  wrong. 
There  could  have  been  no  earthly  objection  to  his  reading  the 
letters,  since  he  was  still  a  member  of  the  church,  and  as  reading 
out  the  letters  was  no^  performing  any  of  his  christian  privileges. 
After  this  Mr.  Campbell  entered  the  church  only  once  more. 
On  that  occasion  Rev.  IT.  L.  Houston  preached,  and  they  did 
what  they  called  ''burying  the  devil,''  but  as  he  was  not  quite 
dead  his  resurrection  followed  very  soon  thereafter. 

On  that  memorable  night  Mr.  Campbell  sang  this  very  appro- 
priate hymn.  He  could  line  out  a  hymn  as  few  men  could,  and 
it  had  a  magic  effect,  but,  alas !  how  soon  forgotten : 

"  Let  party  names  no  more 

The  Christian  world  o'erspread; 
Gentiles  and  Jews  and  bond  and  free 

Are  one  in  Christ,  their  head. 
Among  the  saints  on  earth 

Let  mutual  love  be  found  — 
Heirs  of  the  same  inheritance, 

With  mutual  blessings  crowned. 
Thus  will  the  church  below 

Resemble  that  above, 
Where  streams  of  endless  pleasure  flow, 

And  every  heart  is  love." 

The  singing  of  this  hynin  had  such  a  wonderful  effect  that 
everything  seemed  all  right,  and  that  this  grand  old  body  was 
once  more  united,  but  not  so.  Satan  had  done  his  work  too 
well.  He  was  not  so  easily  removed.  The  party  that  had  left 
the  church  were  holding  divine  services  at  Mr.  W.  G.  Clark's 
house,  on  Margaret  street  in  Yamacraw.  They  worshipped  there 
for  two  months.  There  they  held  a  conference  and  prepared 
all  their  minutes  and  wrote  them  up,  dating  them  as  if  adopted 
at  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  on  the  following  Sunday. 
They  came  to  the  church  and  after  the  close  of  the  services  one 
of  their  number  moved  to  resolve  into  a  conference.  This,  of 
course,  was  carried.  While  one  of  their  number  was  down  on 
his  knees  praying,  Sexton  Salbury  Morse  removed  the  table 
and  their  prepared  minutes  were  grabbed  by  Alexander  Miller, 
who  fled  with  them.  Deacon  Young  and  others  were  arrested. 
This  was  a  final  opening  of  the  great  war.  On  both  sides  ar- 
rests were  made.  The  whole  city  was  most  intensely  excited. 
Rev.  George  Gibbons  was  the  adviser  of  the  party  that  held 
the  possession  of  the  church.  Of  course  they  were  in  the  ma- 
jority or  they  could  scarcely  have  kept  the  church.  There 
were  many  who  had  been  turned  out  during  the  administration 
of  the  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell  who  rushed  into  the  church  at  this 
terrible  crisis.  Of  course  they  were  not  prepared  to  sympathize 
with  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell,  nor  did  they  come  in  to  help  him. 
Mr.  Campbell  was  losing  more  and  more.     From  the  house  of 


66  History  of  the  First 


Mr.  W.  G.  Clark  they  removed  to  the  "Grits  Mills"  and  for 
one  year  they  worshipped  there.  Their  increase  was  not  very 
great,  nor  was  the  increase  of  the  majority  very  great.  From 
the  "Grits  Mill"  they  removed  to  the  "Beach  Institute."  The 
Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell  was  too  feeble  to  give  them  much  service 
in  the  way  of  preaching  and  scarcely  any  pastoral  visits.  Sev- 
eral efforts  were  made  to  get  him  back  to  the  church,  and  one 
time  it  was  thought  that  they  had  accomplished  that  end.  The 
majority  assembled  in  the  church  to  welcome  home  their  ven- 
erable father,  their  love  for  whom  these  years  of  bitter  feelings, 
disaffections  and  many  wrong  doings  had  not  effaced.  But 
Deacon  Richard  Baker,  R.  B.  Young  and  others  would  not 
allow  him  to  return  to  his  people,  bringing  his  people  with  him. 
This  would  have  put  an  end  to  the  trouble.  It  appears  that  he 
did  again  enter  the  church.  We  insert  the  following  report  of 
the  deacons  of  the  majority,  which  speaks  for  itself: 

OFFICERS'  RETORT. 

"  We,  your  servants,  in  whose  hands  you  have  placed  the 
affairs  of  your  church  to  take  care  of  and  look  after  them,  see- 
ing the  condition  of  your  church  at  present,  feel  it  our  duty  to 
present  matters  to  you  in  their  true  light ;  the  remedy  is  then 
with  you  as  a  sovereign  church,  and  if  you,  as  a  church,  fail  to 
do  your  duty  in  the  matter,  then  the  fault  lies  at  your  own 
door.  It  is  our  duty  to  present  the  matter  to  you  in  its  true  na- 
ture, and  your  duty  to  act.  In  November  last  Rev.  William  J. 
Campbell,  as  pastor  of  this  church,  allowed  himself  to  be  acces- 
sory to  the  prosecution  before  the  courts  of  the  land  of  fifteen 
(15)  members  of  this  church  in  good  standing,  and  did  go  into 
open  court  and  swear  to  the  fact  that  the  members  were  guilty 
of"  crimes  that  we  all  knew  them  to  be  innocent  of,  placing 
them,  according  to  his  own  testimony,  virtually  in  the  State's 
prison,  depriving  them  of  the  comforts  of  their  homes  and  the 
freedom  of  their  religion.  Responding  to  the  call  of  men 
whom  the  church  had  rebuked  for  their  misdeeds  he  again  ap- 
peared before  the  magistrates  in  December  last  and  openly  dis- 
regarded the  actions  of  this  church  by  swearing  that  certain 
men  were  clerk  and  deacons  of  this  church  whom  this  church 
had  expelled  and  whose  expulsion  was  confirmed  in  his  pres- 
ence. He  then  appeared  at  our  regular  conference,  held  on  the 
19th  day  of  December,  and  on  being  asked  to  take  the  chair 
refused,  and  after  making  some  remarks  in  regard  to  taking 
names,  picked  up  his  hat  and  stick,  and  after  saying  that  he 
would  not  give  the  snap  of  his  finger  for  what  the  church  was 


African  Baptist   Church.  67 

doing  walked  out.  For  each  and  all  of  these  acts,  which  were 
extremely  offensive  to  the  church  and  unbecoming  to  the  pas- 
tor of  a  church,  the  church  demanded  satisfaction. 

"A  committee  was  appointed  to  wait  upon  him,  demanding 
satisfaction  for  the  church.  This  satisfaction  he  failed  to  give. 
After  the  report  of  the  committee  was  rendered  it  was  decided 
by  the  church  that  his  case  be  taken  up  at  the  regular  confer- 
ence in  January,  and  he  was  so  notified,  and  was  also  notified 
that  he  was  to  abstain  from  exercising  the  duties  of  pastor  of 
this  church  until  that  time.  On  the  first  Sunday  in  January, 
after  all  arrangements  had  been  made  for  the  administration  of 
the  Lord's  Supper,  he  sent  a  message  to  us  by  Brethren  Jas.  M. 
Simms  and  Robert  Mifiin,  stating  that  in  thinking  over  the 
case  of  Rev.  Abram  Burke  he  was  led  to  feel  that  he  was  get- 
ting old  and  feeble,  and  as  he  did  not  know  how  long  he  had 
to  live  he  wanted  to  come  to  peace  with  his  church  and  com- 
mune with  them  on  the  first  Sunday  in  the  new  year.  The 
matter  was  taken  before  the  church  and  it  was  decided  to  hear 
from  the  pastor.  He  then  arose,  and  after  stating  his  inability 
to  do  much  talking,  referred  the  matter  to  Mr.  Simms,  whom, 
he  said,  would  speak  for  him.  Mr.  Simms  then  arose,  and 
after  stating  what  Mr.  Campbell  had  said  to  him  in  regard  to 
Rev.  Burke,  said  that  our  pastor  requested  him  to  say  to  the 
church  that  he  was  sorry  that  anything  had  occurred  to  cause 
the  church  and  himself  to  be  at  variance ;  but  that  he  was  here 
with  the  intention  of  coming  to  peace  with  his  church,  and  that 
he  desired  that  by-gones  should  be  by-gones  and  that  all  old 
things  should  be  buried  forever. 

UA  resolution  was  accordingly  offered  and  carried  by  unani- 
mous vote  that  everything  front  to-day  be  dropped. 

"  In  putting  the  motion,  Rev.  George  Gibbons  asked  the  pastor 
if  he  meant  by  what  he  said  to  recognize  all  that  the  church 
had  done  to  be  right,  to  which  the  pastor  replied,  Yes.  The 
motion  was  then  carried  as  above  stated  amid  much  shouting 
and  gladness.  The  table  was  then  turned  over  to  him  by  Mr. 
Gibbons,  when  the  pastor  proceeded  to  administer  the  sacra- 
ment. He  also  appeared  at  the  church  on  Thursday  evening 
and  confirmed  what  he  said  on  the  Sunday  at  the  sacrament 
table,  and  said  that  he  meant  all  that  he  said. 

11  In  the  week  preceding  our  last  communion  he  was  waited  on 
by  two  of  our  number  to  know  what  arrangements  he  had  made 
about  the  communion.  In  reply  to  the  question  he  wanted  to 
know  of  them  how  could  he  give  them  the  communion  when 
they  were  under  bonds.  Desiring  to  indulge  him  as  much  as 
possible,  another  committee  still  was  appointed  to  wait  upon 


68  History  of  the  First 


him.  He  told  that  committee  that  he  did  not  recognize  them 
as  deacons,  and  that  they  had  taken  the  advantage  of  him,  and 
told  them  that  he  did  not  recognize  what  the  church  had  done, 
and  declares  that  he  never  did  recognize  their  action,  and  told 
them  that  he  would  come  and  give  them  the  communion  but 
would  not  take  it  himself,  and  declares  that  he  will  never  be 
satisfied  with  the  church  or  come  to  peace  until  the  church 
undo  all  that  she  has  done  in  his  absence  by  taking  back  all 
those  that  have  been  expelled  and  turning  out  all  those  that 
have  been  taken  in.  Then,  he  says,  he  will  be  satisfied  and  not 
before. 

"As  we  have  said  at  the  outset,  it  is  our  indispensable  duty  to 
lay  this  matter  before  you  in  its  true  nature.  In  coming  before 
the  communion  and  saying  and  doing  what  he  did,  and  then 
going  right  around  and  denying  these  very  things,  declaring 
that  he  did  not  do  them,  is  an  offence  that  should  not  be  tole- 
rated in  a  christian  church.  He  has  shown  himself  to  be  guilty 
of  a  willful  falsehood.  It  is  with  great  regret  that  we  are  com- 
pelled to  present  this  matter  to  yon  in  this  manner,  but  we 
have  no  alternative.  For  to  allow  the  matter  to  remain  as  it 
has  been  for  the  last  three  or  four  months  would  be  almost  to 
commit  the  unpardonable  sin.  We  see  our  pulpit  desecrated  by 
slander  and  abuse,  and  even  our  communion  table  polluted  by 
wickedness  in  high  places,  and  all  of  it  is  simply  because  we 
have  allowed  our  animal  affections  to  get  the  better  of  us  and 
cause  us  to  flinch  from  our  plain  duty.  The  fan  is  in  our  hands 
and  if  we  fail  to  thoroughly  purge  the  floor  then  the  sin  lies  at 
our  own  door.  If  we  put  the  rod  in  the  hands  of  another  to 
scourge  us,  then  we  must  bear  "the  scourging  without  a  mur- 
mur. As  your  servants,  we  have  endeavored  to  do  our  duty. 
We  lay  the  matter  before  you  for  your  consideration  and  action, 
and  can  only  say  that  unless  sonie  action  be  taken  by  yo\x  in 
regard  to  the  matter  we  cannot  be  responsible  for  the  peace  and 
safety,  of  your  church.  The  points  that  we  would  have  you 
more  particularly  look  into  are  those  running  from  the  first 
Sunday  in  Januaiy  down  to  the  present  time.  Judge  of  the 
case  and  act  upon  its  true  merits." 

Several  efforts  were  made  to  have  the  matter  amicably  set- 
tled, but  it  seems  that  the  fire  of  dissension  had  gotten  too  much 
headway.  A  council  was  called  at  the  instance  of  both  sides, 
consisting  of  Rev.  T.  Harley,  Deacons  Howard,  Reid  and 
Fairchild  (of  the  white  church),  and  Rev.  Alexander  Harris. 
But  this  council  proved  ineffectual,  because  some  of  the  parties 
on  the  side  of  the  majority  opposed  Mr.  Fairchild,  led  by  Dea- 


African  Baptist   Church.  69 

o 

con  Joseph  C.  Williams,  upon  the  ground  that  he  was  partial 
toward  Mr.  Campbell,  and  they  feared  that  he  would  not  do 
justice  to  Mr.  Campbell's  opposers.  The  day  the  majority 
gained  possession  of  the  church  was  a  stormy  day  for  this  old 
church,  and  will  long  be  remembered  with  interest. 

Deacons  Baker,  Young  and  Butler  had  determined  that  no 
conference  should  be  held  that  day  and  commanded  the  sexton 
not  to  open  the  church,  and  had  engaged  policemen  to  prevent 
the  opposition  from  entering  the  church,  charging  that  they 
intended  a  riot.  But  as  the  sexton  was  a  secret  disciple  of  the 
opposition  they  had  him  hid  away  near  the  church,  and  at  a 
given  signal  he  was  to  appear  with  the  keys.  Mr.  J.  C.  Wil- 
liams asked  a  policeman  what  he  was  doing  there,  who  informed 
him  that  he  was  there  to  prevent  a  riot.  Mr.  AVilliams  then 
asked  him  was  he  sent  there  to  prevent  the  church  from  hold- 
ing its  conference  ?  He  replied,  No.  Then  Mr.  Williams  asked 
him  if  he  would  arrest  the  man  whom  he  saw  creating  the  dis- 
turbance? He  said,  Yes.  The  sexton  was  then  signalled  to 
appear  with  the  keys.  As  he  came  Deacons  Young,  Baker 
and  Butler  demanded  the  keys,  and  upon  the  sexton  refusing 
to  surrender  them  attempted  to  take  them.  Mr.  Williams  then 
called  the  policeman's  attention,  stating  that  these  are  the  men 
who  are  creating  the  disturbance,  and  they  were  arrested,  thus 
falling  into  their  own  trap.  This  gave  the  majority  the  pos- 
session of  the  church.  They  entered  and  forever  afterwards 
held  it. 

Notwithstanding  all  this  bitter  feeling  and  wholesale  expul- 
sion so  tender  was  the  feeling  for  Mr.  Campbell  that  he  was 
never  expelled.  Deacon  Joseph  C.  Williams  contended  that 
the  pulpit  should  not  be  touched.  Mr.  Campbell  could  have  re- 
entered the  church  at  any  time  he  wished  without  disciplinary 
action  upon  the  part  of  the  church.  Mr.  Joseph  C.  Williams 
deserves  great  credit  for  his  wisdom  and  far-seeing  sagacity  in 
preventing  the  expulsion  of  Mr.  Campbell.  Had  he  been  ex- 
pelled perhaps  the  breach  would  never  have  been  healed.  This 
act  shows  the  profoundest  sympathy  for  the  venerable  father. 
Virtually  Mr.  Campbell  died  a  member  of  the  First  African 
Baptist  Church.  He  would,  however,  have  been  declared  ex- 
pelled but  for  Deacon  Joseph  C.  AVilliams,  who  had  a  sacred 
reverence  for  the  pulpit.  Deacon  AVilliams  regarded  Mr.  Camp- 
bell as  God's  anointed,  which  he  felt  that  should  not  be  touched. 
He  was  willing  to  expel  everybody  else  but  the  pastor.  He 
kept  the  church  from  making  a  great  mistake.  The  thanks  of 
the  church  are  due  him.     This  proved  him  to  be  an  able  leader. 


70  History  of  the  First 


As  harsh  as  the  report  from  the  officers  is,  no  intimation  of 
Mr.  Campbell's  expulsion  is  in  it : 

THE  COMPROMISE. 

"  Richard  Baker  etal.,  Complainants,  and  Peter  Houston  et  al., 
Defendants,  to  compromise  and  heal  all  dissension  and  division 
in  the  First  African  Baptist  Church,  which  have  existed  for 
some  time  past : 

"  It  is  agreed  that  the  portion  of  the  membership  of  the  church 
worshipping  in  the  brick  church,  known  as  the  First  African 
Baptist  Church,  will  invite  the  portion  of  the  membership  of 
the  churfeh  worshipping  in  the  "Beach  Institute"  to  reunite 
with  them  as  one  body  and  congregation  without  any  depriva- 
tion of  any  church  privileges  as  members  thereof,  and  without 
any  disciplinary  action  whatever.  That  the  officers  of  the 
First  African  Baptist  Church  worshipping  in  the  "Beach  Insti- 
tute'' voluntarily  relinquish  and  resign  such  offices,  and  the 
said  portion  of  the  membership  worshipping  in  the  "Beach 
Institute"  will  accept  the  pastor,  officers  and  trustees,  and  or- 
ganization as  it  now  exists,  in  the  congregation  in  said  First 
African  Baptist  Church  building,  and  accept  the  invitation 
above  extended  to  them. 

"  It  is  further  agreed  that  this  compromise  be  made  the  judg- 
ment of  the  court,  if  necessary ;  and  that  the  same  shall  not 
be  made  by  other  party  a  precedent  of  church  government, 
but  as  a  settlement  of  this  particular  case." 

This  was  agreed  to  and  signed  by  the  leaders  of  both  parties. 
In  conformity  to  this  wise  conciliatory  compromise  the  major- 
ity addressed  the  minority,  as  follows : 

"Savaxxah,  February  8th,  1884. 
uTo  the  First  African  Baptist  Church,  Beach  Institute,  Savannah, Ga.: 

"  Dear  Brethren — At  a  special  conference  of  the  First  Afri- 
can Baptist  Church,  Franklin  Square,  held  last  evening  for  the 
purpose  of  considering  the  recommendations  as  presented  by 
the  attorneys  for  both  parties,  in  reference  to  the  matter  now 
pending  between  ourselves  before  the  Superior  Court  of  this  city 
(of  which  you  have  a  copy),  was  at  this  special  conference  read 
and  confirmed  bjr  an  almost  unanimous  vote. 

'"In  conformity  thereto,  we  hereby  extend  your  Christian  body 
a  cordial  invitation,  requesting  your  presence  at  the  next  regu- 
lar conference  of  the  church,  to  be  held  on  the  17th  instant,  at 


African  Baptist   Church. 


3  o'clock  p.  m.,  at  which  time  and  place  you  will  again  have  the 
opportunity  of  church  privilege. 

"Awaiting  an  early  reply,  we  remain  yours  in  Christ, 

"Rev.  GEORGE  GIBBOXS.  Pastor. 

"Attest:  C.  H.  Ebbs,  Church  Clerk." 

REPLY  TO  THE  FOREGOIXG. 

"Savannah,  February  10, 1884. 
"To  the  Pastor,  Officers  and  Members  of  the  First  African  Bajjtist 
"  Church  : 

"Dear  Brethren — At  a  special  conference  held  by  us  on  the 
above  date,  for  the  purpose  of  considering  the  recommendations 
as  presented  by  the  attorneys  of  both  factions  in  reference  to 
the  matter  that  is  pending  between  you  and  us  in  the  Superior 
Court  of  this  county,  of  which  you  have  a  copy  of  the  same. 
We  have  adopted  the  document  as  agreed  to  by  us  in  the  mat- 
ter, and  also  received  your  invitation  requesting  us  to  be  pres- 
ent at  your  next  regular  conference  of  the  church  to  be  held  on 
17th  instant,  at  3  o'clock  p.  m.,  at  which  time  we  shall  obtain 
privilege  as  members  of  one  body  again.  Brethren,  we  will  be 
present  at  the  hour  appointed  with  the  books,  deeds  and  titles 
of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  according  to  our  agreement 
made  in  the  matter. 

"Done  in  conference  meeting. 

"P.  H.  BFTLER,  Moderator. 

"Attest:  R.  P.  Young,  Church  Clerk." 

This  shows  that  each  side  had  enough  of  the  war.  The  few 
that  stuck  out  were  obstinate.  Mr.  Campbell,  the  leader,  died 
October  11th,  1880.  Doubtless  his  troubles  came  upon  him  too 
severely  for  his  advanced  age.  It  had  much  to  do  with  hurry- 
ing the  end.  The  crowd  that  followed  him  stuck  to  him  till  the 
last.  Mr.  Campbell's  desire  was  to  be  buried  by  his  people 
from  his  church  that  he  had  labored  so  hard  to  build.  When 
he  died  his  faithful  followers  made  the  fact  known  to  the 
church.  The  church  was  willing  to  have  him  buried  from 
his  old  home,  but  Rev.  George  Gibbons,  who  was  pastor  of  the 
majority,  objected  to  large  nails,  it  is  claimed,  being  driven  in 
the  pulpit  and  in  other  places  in  the  church.  But  it  does  seem 
that  a  compromise  as  to  the  size  of  nails  could  have  been 
easily  effected  and  tacks  substituteo.  for  the  nails,  or  even 
strings  might  have  been  used.  If  there  was  not  a  deep,  bitter 
feeling  underlying  this  on  one  side  or  the  other,  doubtless  this 
course  would  have  been  pursued.  Rev.  Gibbons  being  a  gospel 
minister,  it  would  seem,  might  have  advised  these  heart-broken 


72  History  of  the  First 


friends  that  the  nails  were  too  large,  and  that  they  ought  to 
get  tacks.  This  could  have  been  done  in  such  a  tender  way 
that  would  have  won  eternally  their  affectionate  sympathy  and 
cooperation.  Then  there  would  not  have  been  any  chance  for 
the  idea  to  gain  foothold  that  Rev.  Gibbons  did  not  want  the 
church  draped  for  Mr.  Campbell  as  though  he  was  pastor,  and 
as  he  was  yet  alive  he  felt  that  he  was  pastor,  and  no  one  had 
the  right  to  be  honored  as  such.  It  was  most  natural  that  a 
man  should  feel  this  way.  Human  nature  is  human  nature, 
even  in  a  Christian  minister.  Those  who  went  to  drape  the 
church  should  have  exercised  more  patience  and  doubtless  they 
would  have  accomplished  their  purpose.  In  the  heat  of  excite- 
ment the  body  of  the  venerable  dead  man  was  carried  to  the 
First  Bryan  Baptist  Church  in  Yamacraw,  having  obtained  per- 
mission from  Rev.  U.  L.  Houston,  the  pastor. 

The  parties  concerned  should  have  taken  more  pains  to  try 
to  unite  in  doing  honor  to  this  grand  old  man.  If  there  was 
no  objection  to  this  old  servant  being  buried  from  the  church 
for  which  he  toiled  so  hard  for  years,  all  petty  differences  might 
have  been  waived  and  becoming  honor  done  to  this  man  of  God. 
It  is  quite  natural,  also,  that  those  who  wished  to  drape  the 
church  were  rather  sensitive  and  most  any  act  of  Rev.  Gib- 
bon's would  have  been  severely  criticised.  In  fact,  they  felt 
sore  toward  him,  and  rather  looked  for  unkindness,  presuming, 
of  course,  that  Mr.  Gibbons  was  unfriendly  to  Mr.  Campbell, 
their  father  and  leader  in  Christ  Jesus.  Had  Mr.  Gibbons  sug- 
gested the  manner  of  draping  the  church  for  the  noted  dead,  it 
would  have  tended  greatly  to  unify  the  people  and  have  gener- 
ated better  feelings.  It  would  not  have  destroyed  one  whit  of 
his  power  or  eclipsed  in  the  least  his  glory,  but  might  have 
tended  more  to  the  glory  of  God.  This  act  was  perhaps  incon- 
siderate. Rev.  Frank  Quarles,  of  Atlanta,  was  wired,  who 
reached  Savannah  time  enough  to  preach  the  funeral  ser- 
mon of  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell.  He  was  followed  to  his  last 
resting  place  by  a  host  of  heart-broken  weepers.  Thus  ended 
the  life  of  the  most  influential  man  that  has  ever  lived  in 
Savannah. 

After  his  death  frequently  members  from  the  Beach  Institute 
returned  to  the  old  church.  It  was  evident  that  the  war  was 
over.  The  minority  continued  out  until  February  17th,  1884, 
wben  they  returned  in  a  body,  surrendering  all  claims  of  offices 
and  the  church  waiving  all  discipline  in  their  cases.  That  rainy 
Sunday  can  never  be  forgotten.  Just  before  they  reached  the 
church  they  sung  in  a  most  solemn  manner — 


African  Baptist   Church. 


"  Blest  be  the  tie  that  hinds 

Our  hearts  in  christian  love; 
The  fellowship  of  kindred  minds 

Is  liked  to  that  above. 
Before  our  Father's  throne 

We  pour  our  ardent  pi  ayers; 
Our  fears,  our  hopes,  our  aims  are  one, 

Our  comforts  and  our  cares. 
We  share  our  mutual  woes, 

Our  mutual  burdens  bear. 
And  often  for  each  other  flows 

The  sympathizing  tea1,"  &c,  &c. 

The  entrance  into  the  church  was  hailed  by  a  large,  joyous 
and  weeping  congregation.  Deacon  Baker  did  not  return  and 
perhaps  never  will.  Four  years  have  now  passed  since  that 
day  and  he  has  not  been  even  to  the  church.  Deacon  Young 
was  soon  restored  to  the  choir  and  made  its  president.  During 
the  six  years  of  trouble  several  of  the  societies  of  the  church 
had  been  organized  into  churches.  The  grand  body  being 
once  more  united  a  more  pleasing  future  was  opened  up  to  the 
grand  old  bod}7.     God  helped  her. 

The  following  is  inserted  for  the  information  of  the  reader, 
which  will  show  some  of  Mr.  Campbell's  troubles  in  his  early 
ministry  and  the  split  of  1859 : 

"Savannah,  Georgia,  )  To  all  whom  it  may  concern. 
"Chatham  County.)  Greeting: 
"Know  all  men  by  these  presents  that  we,  the  First  African 
Baptist  Church  of  Savannah,  and  State  of  Georgia,  influenced 
as  we  trust  by  the  grace  of  God,  through  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  did  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  fifty-five  see,  with  deep  regret  and  submission  to 
our  God,  that  our  father,  Andrew  C.  Marshall,  for  many  years 
our  pastor,  laboring  with  us  in  the  gospel  ministry,  had  become 
very  feeble  and  needed  some  help  in  the  gospel  ministry,  thought 
it  expedient  to  call  to  his  assistance  our  Brother  Wm,  J.  Camp- 
bell, whom,  after  being  duty  examined  upon  his  sound  doctrinal 
faith  and  belief  in  the  church  by  the  Rev.  Henry  0.  Wyer. 
Rev.  Thomas  Rambout  and  T.  J.  Thelkeld,  and  found  to  be 
such  an  one  as  have  been  taught  by  the  spirit  of  God,  did  far- 
ther, on  the  twenty-fourth  day  of  February,  A.  D.  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  fifty-six,  call  the  assembly  of  the  people  to- 
gether and  in  their  presence  and  before  Almighty  God  see  him 
ordained  to  the  gospel  ministiy.  Our  beloved  brethren  Rev. 
Henry  O.  Wyer,  R.  W.  Winston  and  J.  B.  Stiteler  officiated  in 
this  most  solemn  ceremony,  the  ordination  of  our  beloved  Bro- 
ther Wm.  J.  Campbell.  He  labored  with  us,  assisting  our  be- 
loved father  and  shepherd,  Andrew  C.  Marshall,  until  our  God 
was  pleased  to  call  our  Father  Marshall  to  Himself  in  heaven  to 


7J/.  History  of  the  First 


rest  from  his  labors.  In  December,  A.  D.  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  fifty-six,  he  died,  and  on  the  18th  day  of  February, 
A.  D.  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty-seven,  this  church, 
after  prayer  to  Almighty  God  for  Divine  instructions,  called 
our  beloved  Brother  Wm,  J.  Campbell  to  the  pastoral  care  of 
this  church,  whom  we  do  pray  our  God  to  keep  in  his  useful 
and  prosperous  ministry  for  many  and  fruitful  years  is  the 
prayer  of  his  brethren  always.     Amen.' 

"This  document  was  ordered  to  be  drawn  by  the  officers  of 
this  church  now  acting  in  the  deaconship,  to-wit :  Brethren  B. 
McMsh,  John  Burney,  Samuel  Miller,  Friday  Gibbons,  London 
Small,  Murray  Monroe,  George  Gibbons,  Csesar  Verdeir  and 
Jame3  Simms. 

"Done  in  Conference,  February  19th,  A.  D.  1860. 

"B.  S.  HABDWICK,  Moderator. 

"James  M.  Simms,  Clerk." 

"  First  African  Baptist  Church  of  Savannah, 
"  Tuesday  Night,  April  20,  1858. 
"  Certain  causes  growing  out  of  differences  of  opinion  among 
the  members  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  of  Savannah 
having  resulted  in  the  interference  of  the  civil  authorities  in  so 
far  as  to  impose  certain  restrictions  embarrassing  to  the  cus- 
tomary religious  rights  and  privileges  of  said  church,  His  Honor 
Bichard  Wayne,  Mayor  of  the  city  of  Savannah,  to  the  end 
that  the  differences  in  said  church  be  reconciled,  and  that  said 
restrictions  be  removed,  under  his  seal  of  office  issued  the  fol- 
lowing note,  viz.: 

"'Mayor's  Office, 
" '  City  of  Savannah,  17th  April,  1858. 
" '  If  the  following  named  gentlemen  will  attend  the  First  Afri- 
can Church  to-morrow,  Sunday,  April  18th,  1858,  at  half-past  12 
o'clock  p.  m.,  the  restrictions  now  hanging  over  said  church  will 
be  removed  for  the  time  being.  The  object  is  to  have  a  final 
settlement  of  the  difficulty  in  the  church.  The  said  gentlemen 
not  to  interfere,  that  is,  to  take  sides  with  either  party. 

"' B.  WAYNE,  Mayor. 

■{  seal  y  'Attest:   Edw'd  G.  Wilson,  Clerk  of  Council. 

"'To  the  following  gentlemen,  Executive  Committee  of  the 
"'Sunbury  Baptist  Association,  viz.:  General  Babun,  Bev. 
"'Mr.  Winston,  Bev.  Mr.  Daniel,  Bev.  Mr.  F.  B.  Sweat, 
'"Lewis  C.  Tebeau,  J.  H.  H. .'" 


African  Baptist  Church.  75 

"In  accordance  with  the  said  note  (his  Honor  the  Mayor  hav- 
ing subsequently  issued  an  order  changing  the  time  of  holding 
the  meeting  from  Sunday  noon  to  Tuesday  night)  a  special  con- 
ference was  held  in  the  church  on  Tuesday  night,  April  20th, 
1858.  The  Rev.  L.  G.  Daniels  and  Mr.  James  G.  Hogg,  mem- 
bers of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Sunbury  Baptist  Asso- 
ciation, were  present,  the  other  members  of  said  committee,  as 
named  in  the  foregoing  note  of  his  Honor  the  Mayor,  were 
absent,  they  having  in  a  note  to  the  Mayor  declined  attending 
the  meeting. 

"A  motion  being  made  and  seconded,  it  was  unanimously 
voted  that  Mr.  R.  L.  Hardwick  take  the  chair,  and  that  Mr.  L.  J. 
B.  Fairchild  act  as  secretary  of  the  meeting.  Mr.  Hardwick  in 
the  chair,  the  meeting  was  opened  with  prayer  by  the  Rev.  L. 
G.  Daniel.  The  minutes  of  the  regular  conference,  held  March 
21st,  1858,  were  read  and  confirmed  by  a  unanimous  vote.  The 
following  resolutions  were  regularly  proposed  and  adopted  by 
a  unanimous  vote  of  the  church,  viz.: 

" ' Resolved,  That  this  church  respectfully,  but  positively,  de- 
clines accepting  or  adopting  the  constitution,  covenant,  confes- 
sion of  faith  and  by-laws  referred  to  in  the  minutes  of  the  con- 
ference held  in  this  church  on  March  21st,  1858. 

"  '■Resolved,  That  our  brethren,  Robert  McMsh,  Robert  Verdier 
and  John  Burney  be  a  committee  to  prepare  a  constitution, 
covenant,  confession  of  faith  and  by-laws  for  the  future  govern- 
ment of  this  church,  and  that  said  committee  report  the  same 
to  our  next  meeting.' 

"John  Burney,  a  member  of  the  church,  in  a  few  appropriate 
remarks  touching  the  want  of  harmony  between  the  pastor  and 
deacons,  suggested  the  propriety  of  the  resignation  of  both  pastor 
and  deacons.  Whereupon  the  pastor,  Wm.  J.  Campbell,  respond- 
ed in  terms  expressing  a  desire  to  do  anything  in  his  power  to 
assist  the  church  in  her  efforts  to  be  released  from  embarrass- 
ment and  to  promote  the  religion  of  Christ,  and  yielding  to  the 
suggestion  made,  resigned  his  pastorate  of  the  church.  Robert 
Verdier,  the  only  deacon  of  the  church  present,  also  replied  to 
the  suggestion  in  like  terms  and  resigned  his  office  as  acting 
deacon.  A  motion  was  made  and  seconded  not  to  accept  the  res- 
ignation of  William  J.  Campbell  as  pastor  of  the  church,  and 
the  vote  being  taken  the  motion  unanimously  obtained.  It 
was  also  moved  and  seconded  that  the  resignation  of  Robert 
Verdier  as  an  acting  deacon  of  this  church  be  accepted,  which 
vote  unanimously  prevailed. 


76  History  of  the  First 


"The  following  preamble  and  resolutions  were  read  and 
adopted.  On  taking  the  vote  it  appeared  there  was  one  dis- 
senting vote : 

" '  Whereas,  There  is  an  evident  want  of  a  happy  cooperation 
between  the  deacons  and  pastor  of  this  church  touching  the 
management  of  the  affairs  of  the  church  generally,  and  where- 
as a  hearty  co-operation  between  a  pastor  and  his  deacons  is 
essential  to  the  peace  and  prosperity  of  the  church,  and  where- 
as a  suggestion  has  been  made  that  both  pastor  and  deacons 
resign  in  their  office,  in  the  view  that  the  church  might  have 
freedom  to  select  by  her  vote  a  pastor  and  deacons  that  would 
be  more  likely  to  consummate  the  desires  and  interests  of  the 
body  at  large,  and  whereas  only  our  pastor  and  one  of  our 
deacons  have  responded  to  the  suggestion  of  resignation,  the 
rest  of  the  deacons  being  absent  from  this  meeting,  when,  in  the 
judgment  of  this  meeting,  it  was  their  manifest  duty  to  be  here, 
thus  showing  no  disposition  to  be  reconciled  and  to  fraternize 
with  pastor  or  people, 

ki'Be  it  therefore  resolved,  That  our  brethren  Patrick  Wil- 
liams, Jerry  Burke,  Butler,  Benjamin  King  and  Robert 

McMsh  be  considered  as  no  longer  occupying  the  place  and 
office  of  acting  deacons  of  the  church,  or  at  least  until  such 
time  as  it  may  be  the  pleasure  of  the  church  to  reelect  them  to 
the  same.  It  being  at  the  same  time  fully  understood  that 
nothing  in  this  preamble  and  resolutions  is  intended  to  dis- 
credit or  impair  their  standing  as  members  in  common. 

"  '■Be  it  further  resolved,  That  when  this  conference  adjourns  that 
it  be  adjourned  to  meet  next  Sabbath  afternoon,  for  the  purpose 
of  filling  the  vacancies  in  the  office  of  deacons  occasioned  by 
the  action  of  this  meeting. 

" ' Resolved,  That  as  a  church  we  will  devote  the  hour  allotted 
for  worship  on  next  Sabbath  morning  to  humble  prayer  to  God 
that  he  will  direct  us  in  our  choice  of  brethren  for  the  office  of 
deacons,  desiring  as  we  do  to  have  humble,  God-fearing  men, 
those  who  will  be  vigilant  in  the  duties  of  the  office,  and  seek 
the  promotion  of  true  and  vital  piety  in  the  church,  and  thereby 
promote  the  glory  of  our  Lord.' 

"The  following  resolution  was  regularly  adopted,  there  being 
only  one  dissenting  vote: 

" ' Resolved,  That  as  a  church  we  place  ourselves  under  the 
watch,  care,  guidance  and  direction  of  the  Savannah  Baptist 
Church,  and  that  said  church  be  requested  to  appoint  a  com- 
mittee of  three  of  her  members  to  attend  our  conference  and 
other  business  meetings,  to  the  end  that  these  meetings  in 


African  Baptist  Church. 


future  be  conducted  in  an  orderly  and  christian-like  manner, 
and  that  we  may  have  aid  and  witnesses  to  the  same.' 

"  The  preamble  and  resolution  following  was  offered  and  unan- 
imously adopted : 

" '  Whereas,  This  church  has  been  informed  that  the  book  con- 
taining the  records  of  the  church  could  not  be  readily  obtained 
when  called  for  for  the  purposes  of  this  meeting ;  be  it  there- 
fore 

"  'Resolved,  That  the  moderator  of  this  meeting  be  requested 
to  take  the  custody  of  the  same.' 

"  It  was  also 

"  'Resolved,  That  the  members  of  the  Executive  Committee 
present,  viz.,  the  Rev.  L.  G.  Daniel  and  Mr.  James  E.  Hogg, 
together  with  Mr.  A.  Champion,  a  visitor,  be  requested  to  add 
to  the  Secretary's  report  of  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting 
their  written  testimonial  as  to  the  manner  in  which  the  busi- 
ness of  this  conference  has  been  conducted,  and  of  the  aspect 
of  the  meeting  generally.' 

"It  was  also 

"  'Resolved,  That  the  moderator  and  secretary  of  this  meeting- 
be  requested  to  furnish  his  honor,  the  Mayor,  and  also  the  trus- 
tees of  this  church,  a  correct  copy  of  the  proceedings  of,  this 
conference.' 

"The  business  of  the  meeting  closed  with  the  following  reso- 
lution : 

"  'Resolved,  That  as  a  church  we  tender  our  sincere  thanks  to 
our  white  brethren  for  their  kindness  in  aiding  us  in  the  trans- 
action of  our  business.' 

"After  singing,  the  meeting  adjourned,  to  meet  on  Sabbath 
afternoon,  April  25th,  1858. 

"Adjourned. 

"L.  J.  B.  FAIECH1LD,  Secretary. 

"Tuesday  Night,  April  20,  1858." 

"  Whereas,  Certain  differences  of  opinion  have  existed  among 
us,  which  prevented  the  affiliation  of  pastor,  deacons  and  mem- 
bers, and  whereas  these  differences,  while  they  existed,  were 
reasons  why  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  of  the  Sunbury  Associ- 
ation refused  to  sign  such  a  paper  as  was  necessary  to  secure 
our  pastor  his  license  in  terms  of  the  law,  and  whereas  at  our 
adjourned  conference,  held  on  the  25th  of  April,  all  of  our  diffi- 
culties were  happily  adjusted,  as  can  be  shown  from  our  min- 
utes of  that  day ;  be  it 


78  History  of  the  First 


"Resolved,  That  we,  as  a  church,  earnestly  and  respectfully 
request  three  or  more  ministers  of  the  gospel  of  said  association 
to  sign  such  a  paper  as  will  be  necessary  to  enable  our  pastor, 
William  J.  Campbell,  to  obtain  his  license  from  the  proper  au- 
thorities, that  we  niay  have  the  gospel  preached  to  us  and  the 
sacrament  administered  in  the  church. 

"Resolved,  further,  That  the  secretary  of  this  meeting,  Mr.  Fair- 
child,  make  out  a  certified  copy  of  this  preamble  and  resolu- 
tions, and  the  moderator,  Mr.  IST.  J.  Hardwick,  and  Mr.  G.  W. 
Wylly  present  it  to  three  or  more  of  the  ministers  of  the  gospel, 
as  aforesaid,  and  procure  their  written  recommendation  to  the 
Superior  Court,  and  then  with  this  written  recommendation  to 
the  Court  procure  said  license.' 

"  There  being  no  further  business,  after  singing  and  prayer  the 
meeting  adjourned. 

'<L.  J.  B.  FAIRCHILD,  Secretary  pro  tern. 
"Confirmed  June  20th,  1858." 

"  The  Rev.  Mr.  Willis,  a  gentleman  engaged  in  the  missionary 
labors  of  the  Sunbury  Baptist  Association,  feeling  a  deep  inter- 
est in  this  church  as  a  constituent  of  said  body,  but  more  espe- 
cially as  a  church  of  Christ,  and  sympathizing  with  her  in  her 
late  embarrassments,  expressed  a  desire  to  ascertain  the  degree 
of  harmony  existing  between  the  church  and  her  pastor,  Wil- 
liam J.  Campbell,  and  to  this  end  requested  all  of  the  members 
present,  deacons  and  others,  to  give  evidence,  by  their  vote,  as 
to  their  christian  confidence  in  him  as  their  brother  and  under- 
shepherd,  and  called  upon  the  church,  each  and  every  member, 
without  reserve,  to  stand  forth  and  testify  in  presence  of  all  if 
they  had  aught  or  knew  aught  against  his  moral  or  religious 
character  that  would  tend  to  disqualify  him  as  a  member  or  as 
a  preacher  of  the  gospel.  Many  of  the  members  responded  to 
this  call  in  terms  of  the  utmost  confidence  and  brotherly  affec- 
tion toward  their  pastor,  but  none  against  him,  whereupon  the 
moderator,  at  the  request  of  Mr.  Willis,  by  a  vote,  took  the 
sense  of  the  church  as  to  their  desire  to  have  their  pastor's 
license  renewed.  The  vote  was  taken,  and  it  appeared  that  of 
all  the  very  large  number  present  there  were  but  three  dissent- 
ing votes. 

"Mr.  George  W.  Wylly,  one  of  the  committee  appointed  at 
the  last  conference  in  connection  with  Mr.  Hardwick  to  pro- 
cure our  pastor's  license,  reported  verbally  to  the  church  that 
said  committee  were  stopped  in  the  prosecution  of  their  duty  by 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Winston's  refusing  to  sign  our  pastor's  (William 


African  Baptist  Church.  79 

J.  Campbell's)  license  papers,  and  giving  as  his  reason  that  he 
believed  Campbell  a  bad  man,  who  had  told  a  lie. 

"  Gen.  Rabun  also  made  the  latter  assertion;  whereupon  the 
following  preamble  and  resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted, 
viz.: 

" '  "Whereas,  It  becomes  the  duty  of  this  church  to  investigate 
the  charges  made  against  our  pastor,  William  J.  Campbell,  to 
the  end  that  we  may  know  whether  he  is  guilty  or  not;  be  it 

"  'Resolved,  That  this  church  invite  a  presbytery  of  all  the  min- 
isters of  the  gospel  of  the  Sunbury  Association  who  have  not 
been  connected  in  any  way  with  the  late  difficulties  and  trou- 
bles of  this  church,  and  any  others  whose  services  can  be  ob- 
tained, to  sit  as  a  presbytery  in  the  case  of  William  J.  Camp- 
bell, and  determine  on  his  guilt  or  innocence. 

"  'Resolved,  That  3  o'clock  on  the  third  Sabbath  in  June,  in  this 
church,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  members  thereof,  be  the 
time  and  place  of  meeting,  and  that  a  copy  of  these  proceed- 
ings be  served  on  the  Rev.  Mr.  Winston  and  General  Rabun, 
that  they  may  have  notice  of  the  time  and  place  of  meeting, 
and  this  church  respectfully  invites  them  to  be  present  and  es- 
tablish the  allegations  they  have  made. 

"  'Resolved,  That  his  honor  the  Mayor  of  the  city,  the  trustees 
of  this  church,  and  such  other  gentlemen  of  the  city  as  the  com- 
mittee of  white  brethren  appointed  to  aid  us  in  our  business 
may  think  proper,  be,  and  they  are  hereby,  respectfully  invited 
to  be  present  at  such  said  meeting  and  investigation. 

"  'Resolved,  That  Mr.  Fairchild,  secretary  pro  tern.,  make  out  a 
certified  copy  of  these  proceedings  and  furnish  one  to  each  min- 
ister invited,  the  trustees  of  this  church,  and  the  accusers  of 
Wm.  J.  Campbell.' 

"The  moderator  mentioned  that  a  correspondence  had  been 
held  between  the  committee  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Winston,  refer- 
ring to  the  charges  against  the  pastor,  which  would  be  read  at 
some  subsequent  meeting. 

"  The  committee  appointed  April  20, 1858,  to  prepare  a  consti- 
tution, covenant,  etc.,  for  the  future  government  of  this  church, 
submitted  their  report,  which,  by  a  vote,  was  laid  over  for 
further  consideration. 

"  There  being  no  further  business,  after  singing  and  prayer  the 
conference  adjourned. 

"L.  J.  B.  FAIRCHILD,  Secretary  pro  tern. 

"Confirmed  June  20,  1858." 


80  History  of  the  First 


Following  is  the  correspondence  with  Mr.  Winston,  the  ene- 
my of  Mr.  Campbell : 

"Savannah,  May  22,  1858. 
u Dear  Brother  Winston: 

"  You  gave  as  the  reason  why  you  would  not  sign  William  J. 
Campbell's  license  papers  that  you  believed  he  was  a  bad  man, 
that  he  told  a  lie,  or  you  believed  he  had,  we  are  not  certain 
which  expression  you  used.  The  high  and  important  position 
you  occupy  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel  is  a  guarantee  to  us  that 
you  would  not  have  given  such  a  reason  without  sufficient 
grounds  for  so  doing,  and  if  your  allegations  can  be  sustained 
he,  Campbell,  should  not  be  licensed,  and  we  would  be  as  un- 
willing as  yourself  to  aid  in  getting  it  done.  But  men  should 
not  be  condemned  without  a  hearing,  although  their  skins  may 
be  black.  We,  therefore,  respectfully  request  that  you  give  us  in 
writing  the  reason  you  have  for  believing  Campbell  a  bad  man, 
and  in  what  particular  he  told  a  lie,  and  when  and  where.  Jus- 
tice to  the  position  you  take  to  Campbell  and  to  ourselves,  as 
well  as  the  good  of  the  church,  demands  this  course.  Camp- 
bell's license  has  been  repeatedly  renewed  and  no  charge  has 
been  preferred  against  him,  and  we  supposed  that  his  christian 
character  was  good  until  you  made  the  allegations  herein  re- 
ferred to.  We  purpose  instituting  a  rigid  examination  into  the 
case,  and  if  we  find  that  your  opinions  are  well  founded,  we 
v/ill  turn  his  case  over  to  the  proper  tribunal  for  adjudication 
and  abandon  the  prosecution  of  his  license.  Campbell  is  a  man 
of  color  and  incapable  of  defending  himself  against  charges 
as  a  white  man  would  be  under  the  laws  of  the  State  as  well  as 
those  of  the  church,  but  he  is  nevertheless  entitled  to  justice, 
and  which  we  are  bound  to  believe  you  are  willing  to  award  to 
him.  Give  us  your  answer  through  the  post  office  by  10  o'clock 
Tuesday  morning. 

"Yours  respectfully, 

"R.  L.  HARD  WICK, 
"G.  W.  WYLLY." 

THE  REPLY. 

"  Savannah,  May  24th,  1858. 
"  Gentlemen : 

"Your  letter,  in  which  you  call  upon  me  to  give  my  reasons 
for  some  opinions  I  lately  expressed  in  an  interview  with  your- 
selves respecting  Wm.  J.  Campbell,  I  have  just  received. 

"  I  regret  the  necessity  you  have  laid  me  under,  by  thus  cate- 
chising me,  of  speaking  to  you  with  that  plainness  which  I 
think  the  nature  of  the  case  demands.     I  must  say,  then,  that  I 


African  Baptist  Church.  81 

do  not  recognize  yonr  authority  in  behalf  of  the  First  African 
Church,  or  any  other  church  or  body  you  may  represent,  to 
interrogate  nie  in  regard  to  any  opinion  I  may  have  expressed 
or  may  hold  concerning  the  individual  referred  to  by  you. 
Looking  upon  you,  as  I  do,  as  having  assumed  and  exercised 
powers  that  do  not  belong  to  you,  in  your  late  interference  with 
the  officers  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church,  I  utterly  repu- 
diate and  reject  the  idea  that  you  have  any  right  to  address  me, 
in  behalf  of  that  church,  upon  any  subject  whatever. 

"And,  if  I  must  speak  as  I  think  and  feel,  I  will  say  to  you 
that  for  you  to  affect  to  hold  me  to  account  for  niy  opinions  in 
regard  to  Campbell,  I  regard  as  a  piece  of  unmatched  impu- 
dence. 

"Yours,  &c, 

»  "M.WINSTON." 

How  signally  has  God  blessed  this  church  against  the  might- 
iest foes.  Because  Mr.  Campbell  was  a  negro,  this  Mr.  Win- 
ston presumed  that  his  mere  opinion  and  assertion  was  suffi- 
cient to  dethrone  a  pastor  of  more  than  a  thousand  souls,  and 
felt  highly  insulted  because  his  word  was  not  taken  as  absolute 
proof  against  this  man  of  God.  Mr.  Campbell  conquered 
through  Christ,  and  the  church  marched  on. 


82 


History  of  the  First 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

Rev.  George  Gibbons — His  Call,  Pastorate  and  Death. 

Rev.  George  Gibbons  was  born  in  Thorny  Island,  Barnwell 
District,  S.  C,  November  13th,  1819.  He  was  a  slave  and  be- 
longed to  Mrs.  Telfair,  who  was  very  kind  to  him.  He  was 
baptized  by  Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall  in  1844.  He  was  elected 
a  deacon  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church,  January  29th, 
1860.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  First  African  Baptist 
Church  about  1870,  and  he  was  ordained  in  1871,  and  served  as 
an  assistant  of  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell  in  the  pastorate.  He  was 
called  to  the  pastorate  of  Bethlehem  Baptist  Church  of  Savan- 
nah about  1875  or  1876.  He  was  much  beloved  by  said  church. 
He  was  a  man  of  pleasing  manners,  dignified  bearing,  refined 
culture,  and  was  a  model  christian  gentleman.  He  was  hum- 
ble and  very  polite.  He  was  brought  into  prominence  by  the 
call  to  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  in  1878.  He  was 
called  at  the  time  when  great  excitement  prevailed,  and  it  was 
next  to  impossible  for  his  administration  to  have  met  with 
much  success.      He  had  as  much  as  he  could  do  to  keep  what 


African  Baptist  Church.  S3 

he  had.  He  could  not  have  been  expected  to  make  advances 
on  the  world  when  the  church  was  not  united.  The  old  pastor 
(Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell)  was  still  alive  and  his  influence  was  still 
living,  and  all  militated  against  Rev.  George  Gibbons'  success. 
The  friends  of  Mr.  Campbell  were  the  enemies  of 'Mr.  Gibbons, 
and  vice  versa.  Rev.  Gibbons  served  the  church  under  these 
disadvantages  for  six  years.  He  had  not  been  visiting  the  an- 
nual sessions  of  the  Baptists  and  hence  knew  very  few  of  the 
brethren  and  practically  nothing  of  the  workings  of  the  Bap- 
tists outside  of  Savannah.  He  had  been  so  confined  at  home 
with  the  affairs  of  the  old  white  people  who  raised  him  that  he 
knew  next  to  nothing  of  what  was  going  on  among  the  negroes 
in  everyday  life.  Therefore,  he  was  unprepared  to  deal  with 
them  successfully  in  church  as  a  pastor.  He  did  not  know 
enough  about  them.  He  had  traveled  extensively  with  these 
white  people,  having  visited  Europe.  He  had  a  fine  mind  and 
possessed  sublime  thoughts.  No  one  could  justly  point  the 
finger  of  blame  at  Rev.  George  Gibbons.  Everybody  united  in 
calling  him  a  good  man.  Even  those  who  disliked  him  for  fill- 
ing the  pulpit  which  they  felt  justly  belonged  to  Mr.  Campbell 
would  unhesitatingly  call  him  a  nice  man.  His  home  was  very 
happy,  quiet  and  dignified,  and  everything  he  wished  for  he 
had  at  his  hand.  He  was  a  man  of  means.  The  white  ladies 
with  whom  he  stayed  died  and  left  him  more  than  seven  thou- 
sand dollars.  His  estate  is  worth  upward  of  twelve  thousand 
dollars.  He  had  a  great,  generous  heart,  and  was  a  friend  to 
mankind  and  an  honor  to  society.  In  1884  his  health  began  to 
fail  him,  having  been  undermined  by  his  laborious  work  and 
perplexity  of  mind.  The  church  granted  him  leave  of  absence 
to  travel  in  the  up-country  for  his  health.  He  visited  Colum- 
bus, Rome,  Marietta,  Atlanta  and  Athens,  and  returned  in  Oc- 
ber,  1884.  He  was  thought  to  have  improved  greatly,  but  this 
was  only  imaginary.  On  his  arrival  he  expected  to  enter  with 
vigor  upon  his  work.  On  Thursday  night,  November  12,  1884, 
he  undertook  to  preach,  and  selected  for  his  text,  Psalm  XVI, 
11 :  "  Thou  wilt  shew  me  the  path  of  life:  in  Thy  presence  is 
fullness  of  joy;  at  Thy  right  hand  there  are  pleasures  forever 
more."  He  read  very  distinctly  his  text  once  and  read  it  a 
second  time,  and  his  hands  fell  by  his  side,  his  mouth  closed, 
and  he  never  spoke  again  in  life.  It  was  evident  that  his  work 
was  over.  He  had  been  shown  the  path  of  life  and  would  be 
soon  ushered  into  the  presence  of  the  King.  He  was  taken 
home,  where  the  best  medical  aid  was  summoned,  but  his  case 
baffled  medical  skill,  and  after  nine  days'  suffering  he  breathed 
his  last.     He  was  buried  on  Sunday,  November  23d,  1884.  Rev. 


84  History  of  the  First 


Alexander  Harris  preached  his  funeral  sermon.  Revs.  A.  Ellis, 
U.  L.  Houston,  S.  A.  MdNeal  and  E.  K.  Love  also  took  part. 
The  funeral  was  very  large,  being  attended  by  not  less  than 
five  thousand  people.  This  good  man  ended  gloriously  the  life 
he  so  well  lived.  Mr.  Campbell  only  preceded  him  four  years 
one  month  and  eleven  daj7s  to  the  saints'  rest,  where  they  would 
make  no  more  mistakes.  Rev.  Bryan  preceded  Rev.  Marshall 
forty-four  years,  one  month  and  one  day.  Rev.  Marshall  pre- 
ceded Rev.  Campbell  twenty-three  years,  eleven  months  and 
four  days,  he  also  having  died  in  October.  It  is  a  little  singu- 
lar that  all  of  these  great  men  died  about  the  same  time  of  the 
.year.  The  church  never  had  a  better  man  than  Rev.  Gibbons, 
so  far  as  quietness,  gentleness  and  pleasing  manners  are  con- 
cerned, but  all  were  abler  preachers  than  he  was.  He  was  a 
living  example  of  the  gospel  wlftch  he  preached,  and  had  a  high 
sense  of  honor  and  right.  He  did  not  believe  in  worldly  amuse- 
ments and  had  no  patience  with  the  idea  of  begging  money 
for  the  cause  of  Christ,  nor  giving  entertainments  to  raise 
money  for  the  church.  He  believed  that  people  ought  to  give 
from  a  sense  of  duty  and  from  a  principle.  He  was  an  hundred 
years  ahead  of  the  age  in  which  he  lived.  Perhaps  his  ideas  of 
that  dignified  order  of  christian  work  may  be  realized  in  the 
next  hundred  years.  His  idea  of  church  work  was  on  the  most 
dignified  order.  It  could  hardly  have  been  otherwise,  owing 
to  his  cultured  rearing.  He  was  progressive  in  church  work 
and  in  church  order.  He  was  actually  at  one  time  opposed  to 
accepting,  upon  the  part  of  the  church,  §70  from  a  party  of  sis- 
ters because  it  was  raised  from  a  supper  given  for  that  purpose 
which  had  music.  He  contended  that  the  gospel  did  not  war- 
rant raising  money  in  that  way  for  the  church,  and  instead  of 
accepting  the  money  he  was  in  favor  of  expelling  the  sisters. 
This  created  quite  a  sensation,  and  for  a  while  made  him  un- 
popular with  many.  If  he  could  have  enforced  his  ideas  he 
would  have  had  a  model  gospel  church.  But  this  was  at  least 
an  hundred  years  too  soon  for  the  inaugurating  of  such  plans. 
It  would  have  been  like  rooting  up  the  tares  in  the  wheat, 
which  would  have  done  more  harm  than  good.  The  day  must 
come,  however,  when  his  ideas  must  be  adopted.  When  this 
grand  man  died  the  church  had  just  cause  to  mourn. 


African  Baptist   Church. 


85 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  D.  D. — His  Call  and  Pastorate. 

[By  Rev.  S.  A.  McNeal,  of  Augusta,  his  friend.] 

Rev.  Emanuel  K.  Love,  was  born  in  Perry  county,  near 
Marion,  Alabama,  July  the  27th,  1850.  He  was  a  slave  and 
reared  on  a  farm.  His  parents  were  poor  and  uneducated. 
They  were  unable  to  educate  him.  He  had  a  burning  desire  to 
get  an  education.  He  was  converted  in  the  spring  of  1868  and 
baptized  in  July  of  the  same  year  by  Dr.  W.  H.  Mcintosh.  He 
was  baptized  in  the  afternoon  and  tried  to  preach  that  night. 
He  was  soon  afterwards  given  permission  to  preach  and  won 
great  distinction  in  the  country  places  as  a  preacher.  He  soon 
left  the  farm  and  became  a  ditcher.  In  1871  he  entered  Lin- 
coln University,  Marion,  Alabama  (having  studied  very  hard 
for  six  years  privately,  getting  instruction  froru  white  persons 
on  farms  who  were  kind  enough  to  give  it  to  him),  where  he 
studied  for  five  or  six  months,  winning  great  distinction  as  a 
hard  and  wonderfully  apt  student.  When  his  money  gave  out 
he  was  compelled  to  leave  school.     He  went  to  ditching.     At 


86  History  of  the  First 


this  lie  rnade  money  very  rapidly.  But  unfortunately  he  loaned 
this  out  to  friends  and  relatives  who  were  farming.  The  church 
to  which  he  belonged,  the  first  Sunday  in  November,  1872,  de- 
cided that  he  should  go  to  a  theological  school  and  prepare  for 
the  ministry.  This  he  knew  nothing  of  until  the  matter  was 
brought  up  in  the  church  meeting.  At  the  time  he  had  only  eight 
dollars  and  fifty  cents  in  ready  money.  The  farmers  to  whom 
he  had  loaned  his  money  had  failed,  and  it  was  now  evident 
that  he  could  not  hope  to  collect  a  dollar  of  his  money.  After 
the  church  meeting  he  went  seven  miles  into  the  country  to  see 
what  arrangements  could  be  made  to  collect  the  money,  as  he 
had  only  two  weeks.  On  Monday,  the  next  day,  a  farmer  came 
to  town  in  search  of  a  ditcher.  Some  how  some  friends  recom- 
mended Mr.  Love,  though  many  ditchers  were  in  town.  He 
went  out  at  once  to  see  the  gentleman  and  took  the  job,  com- 
pleted it  in  ten  days  and  cleared  one  hundred  and  twentj^-two 
dollars.  It  was  finished  on  Friday,  he  settled  up  his  business 
on  Saturday,  preached  his  farewell  sermon  on  Sunday  and  left 
for  Augusta,  Georgia,  on  Monday,  arriving  there  on  Tuesday, 
November  19th,  1872,  and  entered  the  Augusta  Institute  on 
Wednesday,  November  20th,  1872,  from  which  he  graduated 
with  first  honors  June,  1877. 

He  had  many  hardships  in  school.  His  money  gave  out  sev- 
eral times,  when  he  was  compelled  often  to  go  several  days 
without  anything  to  eat.  He  has  broiled  meat  skins  on  tbe 
coals,  ate  crusts  and  drank  water  for  days.  He  had  no  bed  nor 
bedding,  save  one  quilt  and  one  sheet,  the  gift  of  his  mother 
when  he  left  home.  In  the  winter  he  was  compelled  to  build  a 
fire  in  the  class  room  and  sleep  on  benches  to  avoid  freezing. 
As  great  as  his  suffering  was  he  always  stood  head  in  his  classes. 
He  was  the  best  bible  scholar  ever  graduated  from  the  school. 
He  taught  as  assistant  teacher  in  the  school  under  the  venera- 
ble Dr.  Joseph  T.  Robert,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  for  several  years. 
When  Dr.  Robert  was  sick  or  absent  Mr.  Love  would  take 
charge  of  the  school  and  deliver  lectures  on  theology  to  the 
school,  which  he  did  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  scholars. 

He  was  ordained  to  the  gospel  ministry  by  Revs.  W.  J. 
White,  Dr.  Jos.  T.  Robert,  Henry  Watts,  E.  V.  White,  Henry 
Morgan,  Aaron  Green,  G.  Arrington,  Henry  Jackson  and  Geo. 
Barns,  December  12,  1875,  at  the  Harmony  Baptist  Church,  by 
request  of  his  church  at  Marion,  Ala.  He  taught  county  public 
schools'  at  Newton,  Appling  and  Camilla,  Ga.  In  187(5  he 
served  his  mother  church  in  Marion,  Ala.,  for  six  months,  and 
declined  a  unanimous  call  to  be  its  permanent  pastor,  and  re- 
turned to  Augusta  to  finish  his  studies.     He  was  appointed 


African  Baptist  Church. 


missionary  for  the  State  of  Georgia  under  the  Honie  Mission 
Board,  of  New  York,  and  the  Georgia  Mission  Board  (white). 
He  served  in  this  capacity  until  July,  1879,  when  he  resigned 
to  take  charge  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church,  at  Thomas- 
ville,  Ga.  Here  he  rebuilt  the  house  of  worship  and  baptized 
450  hopeful  converts.  The  church,  under  his  administration, 
took  its  stand  along  by  the  side  of  the  best  churches  in  christian 
work  and  finance  in  the  State.  On  the  1st  of  October,  1881,  he 
resigned  this  church  to  take  charge  of  the  Sunday  school  mis- 
sion work  of  the  State  of  Georgia,  under  the  American  Baptist 
Publication  Society  of  Philadelphia.  In  this  work  he  continued 
for  four  years,  winning  great  distinction  as  an  efficient  mission- 
ary, and  was  called  the  best  missionary  of  the  South.  He  gave 
perfect  satisfaction.  After  serving  in  this  sphere  to  the  unani- 
mous satisfaction  of  all  concerned,  on  the  1st  of  October,  1885, 
he  resigned  to  take  charge  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church 
of  Savannah,  Ga.  This  church  is  the  most  famous  in  the  world 
among  negroes,  and  it  is  not  at  all  surprising  that  Mr.  Love 
would  want  some  time  to  prayerfully  consider  the  grave  respon- 
sibility invited  upon  him.  Mr.  Love  was  a  young  man,  being 
only  35  years  old  when  he  was  called.  There  were  great  fears 
even  among  good  people  that  he  would  not  succeed.  The  church 
had  never  had  a  young  pastor.  She  had  been  accustomed  to 
old  men,  whose  age  the  people  would  respect  as  well  as  their 
position.  Rev.  E.  K.  Love  was  intellectually  the  superior  of 
his  predecessors. 

Mr.  Love  had  long  been  the  favorite  of  the  church.  In  Feb- 
ruary, 1878,  Deacons  J.  H.  Brown  and  L.  J.  Pettigrew  heard 
him  preach  the  missionary  sermon  before  the  Florida  Baptist 
Convention,  at  Monticello,  Fla.,  and  were  so  carried  away  that 
they  invited  him  to  Savannah  to  preach  the  same  sermon,  and 
in  March  of  the  same  year  he  visited  Savannah.  His  visit  was 
hailed  with  large  congregations,  and  always  after  that  it  had 
only  to  be  hinted  that  Rev.  Mr.  Love  would  be  in  the  city  and 
seats  in  the  church  would  be  at  a  premium.  Rev.  Geo.  Gibbons 
became  his  friend  and  made  him  welcome  to  his  home.  As  Mr. 
Gibbons  was  not  a  revivalist,  every  once  in  a  while  the  church 
would  send  for  Rev.  Mr.  Love  to  give  her  a  series  of  sermons. 
When  Rev.  Gibbons  was  stricken  with  paralysis,  Rev.  Love 
had  just  finished  a  series  of  meetings  and  had  been  gone  not  yet 
a  week.  When  Rev.  Gibbons  died  he  was  telegraphed  for  and 
came  to  the  funeral.  He  knew  his  name  would  be  put  forward 
for  the  pastorate  and  therefore  ceased  to  visit  the  city.  He 
soon  found  out  that  there  were  some  who  opposed  his  being 
called,  and   several  falsehoods   were   trumped   up,  which  his 


88  History  of  the  First 


friends  vigorously  met  and  successfully  refuted.  The  church 
invited  Mr.  Love  to  hold  a  series  of  meetings  in  the  last  of 
May,  1885,  running  up  to  the  first  of  June.  This  he  did  with 
some  success,  and  on  the  first  Sunday  in  June,  1885,  baptized 
ten  converts  and  administered  the  Lord's  Supper.  There  was 
one  brother  who  so  bitterly  opposed  Mr.  Love  that  he  would 
not  allow  his  daughter  to  be  baptized  by  him,  though  she  was  a 
candidate  for  baptism.  There  was  much  talk  and  many  aspir- 
ants. Many  subterfuges  were  resorted  to  to  prevent  the  call, 
but  the  friends  of  Mr.  Love  were  competent  for  the  task  and 
met  every  emergency. 

In  the  conference  of  the  third  Sunday  in  August  an  attempt 
was  made  to  call  Rev.  Mr.  Love,  but  his  friends  seeing  the  situ- 
ation and  having  consumed  the  time  in  meeting  objections, 
moved  to  adjourn  the  conference  until  the  fifth  Sunday  in  Au- 
gust. This  conference  was  very  largely  attended.  Mr.  L.  J. 
Pettigrew  moved  that  Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  of  Thomasville,  be 
called  pastor  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church.  About  fifty 
persons,  male  and  female,  seconded  the  motion  at  once ;  seven 
hundred  persons  voted  for  him,  and  seven  against  him.  The 
objection  of  these  seven  persons  was  of  a  three-fold  nature. 
First,  that  he  had  made,  some  years  before,  some  undue  famil- 
iar advances  toward  a  prominent  female  member  of  the  church, 
which  proved  to  be  utterly  false ;  yet  there  was  a  vile  conspir- 
acy in  it.  Second,  that  Rev.  Gibbons  had  not  been  dead  long 
enough,  and  that  the  church  ought  not  to  take  down  its  mourn- 
ing for  the  late  pastor  under  a  year.  Third,  that  he  was  too 
young.  Over  all  these  objections  Rev.  E.  K.  Love  was  made 
pastor  by  a  large  majority  August  30th,  1885.  He  was  then  35 
years  old,  and  was  at  the  time  missionary  of  the  State  of  Geor- 
gia. He  was  wired  the  result  of  the  election  at  Washington, 
Ga.,  September  1st,  1885,  and  the  letter  notifying  him  officially 
was  sent  to  him  at  Eaton  ton,  Ga.,  where  he  was  in  attendance 
on  the  Middle  Georgia  Association.  Following  is  the  letter  of 
notification : 

''Savannah,  Ga.,  Sept.  3,  1885. 
11  The  First  African  Baptist  Church,  Savannah,  Ga., 

To  Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  Thomasville,  Ga. 
"Beloved  Brother:  As  a  committee  appointed  for  the  pur- 
pose, we  take  more  than  ordinary  pleasure  in  conveying  to  you 
the  (to  us)  most  pleasing  information  that  at  an  adjourned 
session  of  the  regular  Monthly  Conference  of  the  First  African 
Baptist  Church,  held  on  the  30th  day  of  August,  A.  D.  1885, 
you  were  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  above  named  church. 


African  Baptist  Church.  89 

The  number  of  those  who  voted  in  the  affirmative  upon  the 
question  of  the  call  was  such  as  to  make  us  feel  safe  in  assuring 
you  the  hearty  support  of  the  church  in  your  labors  amoDg  us, 
and  leaves  no  doubt  as  to  the  directing  hand  of  Providence  in  the 
result.  The  salary  has  been  fixed  at  seventy-five  (75)  dollars 
per  month,  with  December  1st,  1885,  fixed  as  the  date  for  you 
to  assume  the  duties  of  the  office.  We  send  herewith  the  warm- 
est feelings  of  christian  love  and  prayer  of  the  church. 
"Awaiting  your  reply,  we  are  yours  in  the  bonds  of  love. 

"  J.  H.  BROWN, 
"C,  H.  EBBS. 
"  L.  J.  PETTIGREW, 

"  Committee." 

When  it  became  known  throughout  the  State  that  Bcv.  E.  K. 
Love,  D.  D.,  had  been  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  First  Afri- 
can Baptist  Church  of  Savannah,  the  brethren  all  over  the 
State  regretted  to  lose  him  from  his  post  as  missionary  of  the 
State.  He  was  the  favorite  of  Georgia.  The  brethren  gener- 
ally called  him  "Bishop/'  They  still  very  generally  call  him 
by  this  name.  He  regretted  to  leave  the  brethren.  He  loved 
the  mission  work.     He  finally  accepted. 

The  following  is  Rev.  E.  K.  Love's  letter  of  acceptance : 

"Atlanta,  Ga.,  Sept.  12,  1885. 
"Messrs.  C.  H.  Ebbs,  L.  J.  Pettigrew  and  J.  H.  Brown, 

Committee  First  African  Baptist  Church,  Savannah,  Ga. 
"Dear  Brethren:  Yours  of  the  3d  instant,  informing  me  of 
your  great  church's  choice  of  me  as  pastor,  to  hand.  I  can  but 
view  the  circumstance  as  the  most  flattering  in  my  history. 
Your  church  is  an  old,  influential  body,  and  I  feel  most  forcibly 
the  grave  responsibility  invited  upon  me  in  your  call.  Feeling, 
as  I  do,  the  magnitude  of  this  work,  and  the  able  pastors  who 
have  preceded  me,  and  appreciating  the  learning  and  profound 
research  and  wonderful  executive  ability  he  must  possess  who 
is  your  leader,  I  would  most  respectfully  cry  unworthy  and  de- 
cline, but  for  the  conviction,  after  a  prayerful  consideration, 
that  your  call  voices  the  will  of  God.  For  His  service  I  live, 
and  in  it  I  hope  to  die ;  hence,  I  regard  as  a  rule  the  voice  of 
the  people  as  the  voice  of  God.  When  this  is  so  I  bow  to  them 
as  to  their  Master. 

the  work  of  the  pastor. 

"There  is  no  more  responsible  an  office  to  which  men  can  be 
possibly  called  than  that  of  a  pastor.     To  his  care  is  committed 


90  History  of  the  First 


the  training  of  the  people  spiritually.  Praying  for  the  sick, 
standing  around  the  bedside  of  the  dying,  watching  over  the 
spiritual  interests  of  the  church,  looking  out  for  the  good  of  the 
community  generally,  rebuking  sin  and  wickedness  in  high 
places,  to  throw  his  influence  on  the  side  of  temperance,  waging 
an  uncompromising  war  against  whiskey,  to  fight  never  ceas- 
ingly  for  right,  to  work  untiringly  for  education,  and  to  preach 
faithfully  the  word  of  God  in  such  a  manner  that  the  whole 
people  might  hear  him  gladly.  The  work  of  the  pastor  is  the 
most  sacred  and  responsible  under  heaven,  and  angels  would 
gladly  engage  in  the  pastor's  work.  The  privilege  to  pray  for 
the  suffering  and  distressed  is  certainly  sweet  to  the  minister 
called  of  God  to  preach  the  gospel  of  His  son. 

THE  GELATION  OF  THE  PASTOR  TO  HIS  PEOPLE. 

"  The  man  who  deals  with  the  spiritual  affairs  of  a  people 
must  be  most  dearly  and  tenderly  related  to  them.  He  who 
teaches  the  souls  of  a  people  must  enter  and  live  in  their  souls. 
His  soul  should  be  large  enough  to  take  all  of  his  people  into 
his  heart  of  hearts.  The  pastor  is  a  member  of  every  family 
circle  in  his  congregation.  All  of  the  people  are  his  people, 
and  he  is  the  servant  of  all.  He  can  not  afford  to  have  any 
enemies  who  can  give  a  just  cause  for  their  opposition.  If  pos- 
sible, he  must  live  peaceably  with  all  men,  and  endeavor  to 
have  all  men  to  live  at  peace  with  him.  He  is  the  spiritual 
overseer  of  the  church  of  God,  and  is  the  adviser  of  the  church 
in  all  of  its  concerns. 

YOUR   DUTY   AS   A    CHURCH. 

"  I  can  not  hope  to  succeed  without  your  cooperation  and 
hearty  support.  I  am  not  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  a  people 
can  defeat  the  work  of  their  pastor  or  make  it  a  grand  success. 
It  will,  as  you  know,  be  your  duty  to  assist  me  by  your  pres- 
ence, support,  prayers  and  sympathy.  For  this  I  shall  look 
most  anticipatingly.  I  need  not  invite  your  attention  to  the 
domestic  part  of  your  work.  A  parsonage,  I  believe,  is  gener- 
ally acceded  to  be  the  duty  of  the  church,  and  the  minister  be 
left  free  to  give  himself  to  study,  prayer  and  the  ministry  of  the 
word. 

THE   TIME   NAMED   BY   YOU. 

"  It  will  be  necessary  for  me  to  tell  you  that  the  work  which 
I  am  now  doing  is  important  to  the  State  of  Georgia.  The 
Baptists  of  Georgia  have  given  me  their  united  support,  and  it 


African  Baptist  Church.  91 

is  with  profoundest  feeling  that  I  resign  this  work.  The  Amer- 
ican Baptist  Publication  Society,  in  whose  employ  I  have  served 
for  four  years,  has  been  very  kind  to  me,  and  has  treated  me 
with  the  utmost  deference  and  will  regret  to  lose  my  services. 
You  name  December  1st  as  the  day  to  commence  the  work. 
Perhaps  you  did  not  know  that  my  year  expires  with  October 
1st,  and  that  it  would  be  much  easier  and  smoother  for  me  to 
resign  at  the  end  of  the  year.  Your  time  seems  to  necessitate 
the  loss  of  two  months.  If  this  cannot  be  remedied  I  shall 
submit. 

"  The  salary  you  offer  I  hope  will  be  so  fixed  as  to  put  myself 
and  family  on  equally  as  good  living  terms  as  in  my  present 
position.     You  cannot  afford  to  do  less. 

"  You  owe  me  your  prayers ;  pray  for  me,  dear  brethren,  I  feel 
so  much  my  un worthiness  and  inability  to  discharge  the  duties  of 
so  high  a  calling.  Having  been  duly,  officially,  informed  that  on 
the  30th  of  August,  1885,  I  was  duly  elected  as  pastor  of  your 
great  church,  and  regarding  the  voice  of  the  people  as  the  voice 
of  God,  I,  Emanuel  K.  Love,  of  Thomasville,  Ga.,  in  the  thirty- 
fifth  year  of  my  age,  do,  in  the  name  of  Almighty  God,  in  the 
name  of  His  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  the  name  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  accept,  looking  to  Him  for  guidance,  protection,  and  an 
understanding  heart. 

"And  now,  may  the  great  head  of  the  church,  the  Shepherd 
and  Bishop  of  our  souls,  even  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  bless  you 
in  all  things  for  good. 

"I  am  your  humble  servant,  in  His  name, 

"EMANUEL  K.  LOVE." 

THE   INSTALLATION. 

When  the  letter  of  acceptance  from  Mr.  Love  was  read  be- 
fore the  church,  the  church  at  once  changed  the  time  from 
December  1st,  1885,  to  October  1st,  1885,  to  suit  Mr.  Love's 
convenience.  This  showed  that  the  pastor  elect  already  had 
influence  with  this  noble  people.  At  a  mere  hint  from  Mr. 
Love  that  either  January  1st,  1886,  or  October  1st,  1885,  would 
suit  him  best  the  church  embraced,  the  opportunity  of  getting 
him  at  the  first  convenience.  October  1st,  1885,  was  set  for  the 
installation. 

Rev.  Love  was  installed  by  Revs.  TJ.  L.  Houston,  J.  S.  Hab- 
ersham, John  Nesbit,  W.  L.  P.  Weston,  of  Savannah,  E.  R. 
Carter,  of  Atlanta,  C.  T.  Walker,  T.  J.  Hornsby  and  S.  A.  Mc- 
Neal,  of  Augusta,  T.  M.  Robinson,  of  Harlem,  and  G.  H.  Wash- 
ington, of  Quitman.  Rev.  C  T.  Walker  introduced  Rev.  E.  K. 
Love  in  the  following  eloquent  speech: 


92  History  of  the  First 

"It  is  with  no  small  degree  of  pleasure  that  your  humble 
speaker  appears  before  this  august  assembly  on  this  auspicious 
occasion.  I  am  gratefully  sensible  of  the  honor  done  me  in 
selecting  me  to  speak  on  this  important  occasion.  You  gather 
to-night  on  no  ordinary  occasion ;  you  come  not  to  witness  the 
inauguration  of  the  chief  magistrate  of  the  nation ;  you  come 
not  to  your  regular  church  services  as  you ;  usually  do  on  this 
night;  no,  you  are  here  to  meet  the  leader,  the  shepherd  of  the 
flock  that  God  has  sent  you.  The  ministry  is  of  divine  appoint- 
ment, and  is  such  a  sacred  and  holy  calling  God  has  reserved 
the  right  of  appointment  to  himself,  and  by  the  influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  he  has  urged  you  to  call  to  the  pastorate  of  this 
great  church  Emanuel  K.  Love.  Christ,  the  great  shepherd  of 
the  sheep,  the  bishop  of  our  souls,  has  committed  His  people  to 
the  instruction  and  guidance  of  faithful  ministers. 

'•'While  this  noble  church  has  had  a  number  of  eminent 
preachers,  such  as  Andrew  Bryan,  Andrew  C.  Marshall,  Wil- 
liam J.  Campbell  and  George  Gibbons,  who  have  erected  mon- 
uments to  their  noble  deeds,  yet  I  assure  you  that  the  cause 
will  not  suffer  in  the  hands  of  the  present  incumbent.  He,  by 
the  fervor  of  his  appeals,  the  force  of  his  argument,  the  glow  of 
,his  eloquence,  the  beauty  of  his  piety,  his  familiarity  with  the 
Scriptures,  and  his  sincere  devotion  to  the  Master's  cause,  will 
edify  and  delight  his  christian  hearers.  Though  the  duties  of 
the  pastoral  office  be  arduous  and  responsible,  you  have  made 
choice  of  one  who  will  discharge  them  with  fidelity  and  ability. 
He  will  give  effective  service  and  meet  your  highest  expecta- 
tion. Onty  give  him  your  prayers,  sympathy  and  hearty  co- 
operation. Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  as  a  student,  was  earnest,  apt, 
diligent,  thorough-going,  and  always  led  his  classes.  He  has 
reached  the  degree  of  a  well-developed  manhood  and  of  a 
richly-cultivated  intellect.  He  served  as  missionary  under  the 
Home  Mission  Society,  New  York,  and  the  Home  Mission 
Board  of  the  Georgia  Baptist  Convention  (white),  and  gave  en- 
tire satisfaction.  He  was  afterward  called  to  the  pastorate  of 
the  Thomasville  Baptist  Church.  This  church  building  was 
quite  dilapidated,  the  flock  scattered  and  the  Baptist  cause  at 
a  low  ebb  in  that  city ;  but  during  his  pastorate  the  church  was 
tastily  beautified  and  embellished,  and  450  added  by  baptism. 
He  was  called  from  that  field  of  labor  to  become  the  Spurgeon 
missionary  under  the  auspices  of  the  American  Baptist  Publi- 
cation Society  in  Philadelphia.  He  won  their  confidence  and 
respect,  and  was  styled  by  them  the  best  missionary  in  all  the 
South.  He  is  known  all  over  Georgia ;  his  friends  are  legion. 
He  won  the  confidence  and  respect  of  his  denomination.     He  is 


African  Baptist   Church. 


known  and  loved  in  this  State  and  treated  kindly.  He  resigns 
a  prosperous  work  to  obey  your  mandate.  He  comes  to  this 
field  with  experience  and  executive  ability.  He  comes  to  the 
call  of  his  heavenly  Master.  He  comes,  burdened  with  the 
responsibility  devolved  upon  him.  He  comes  a  christian  gen- 
tleman. Gentle  with  all  men  and  clothed  with  the  raiment  of 
a  meek  and  quiet  spirit.  He  is  eminently  social  and  will  be 
the  friend  of  the  unlettered  peasant  as  well  as  the  erudite 
scholar.  The  most  humble  in  the  church  will  find  in  him  a 
friend — generous,  noble-hearted  and  kind.  His  liberality  is 
greater  than  his  purse.  He  has  learned  what  few  ministers 
have — to  esteem  another  better  than  himself,  and  in  honor  to 
prefer  his  brethren.  In  my  friend  and  brother  you  will  find  an 
experimental  preacher,  natural  and  impressive.  He  is  up  with 
the  times.  The  age  in  which  we  Live  is  one  of  mental  activity, 
busy,  progressive,  and  calls  loudly  for  men  of  character,  doc- 
trine and  education.  Not  altogether  excellence  of  speech,  to 
gratify  the  curiosity  of  the  people,  rhetorical  strains  or  philo- 
sophical essays,  but  men  who  will  know  nothing  among  men 
save  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified.  I  present  to  you  a  chris- 
tian gentleman  who  will,  to-night,  enter  upon  his  work  with  a 
solemn  appreciation  of  it,  and  with  an  earnest  desire  to  do  it 
ably  and  faithfully.  His  unselfishness,  his  broad  charity,  his 
marked  sincerity,  his  simplicity  and  scholarly  attainments, 
coupled  with  the  grace  of  God,  all  fit  him  preeminently  for  the 
office  he  is  to  fill.  And,  dear  church,  I  bespeak  for  him  jTour 
sympathy,  confidence,  support,  love,  cooperation  and  prayers. 
I  ask  for  his  most  excellent,  devoted,  praiseworthy,  christian 
wife  your  respect  and  generous  consideration. 

"And  now,  beloved  brother,  in  entering  upon  this  new  field 
of  labor,  may  the  Lord  bless  thee  and  keep  thee ;  the  Lord  make 
His  face  to  shine  upon  thee,  and  be  gracious  unto  thee.  The 
Lord  lift  upon  thee  His  countenance.  The  Lord  give  thee 
peace.  May  you,  by  good  work,  write  your  name  on  time  as 
legibly  as  the  stars  on  the  brow  of  the  evening.  And  when  you 
stand  upon  the  interlacing  margin  of  eternity  may  you  hear  the 
shout  of  your  welcome  borne  from  afar:  Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servant." 

Rev.  S.  A.  MclSTeal  then  addressed  the  church  in  the  following 
most  timely  speech : 


94  History  of  the  First 


ADDRESS   TO    THE    FIRST   AFRICAN   BAPTIST    CHURCH. 

"Dear  Brethren  and  Sisters,  Friends  and  Well-  Wishers  : 

"I  ani  glad  to  answer  this  honor  you  have  conferred  upon 
me.  I  regard  it  as  no  small  matter  to  be  called  upon  to  address 
you  upon  so  auspicious  an  occasion  as  this.  You  have  assem- 
bled here  to  night  to  see  publicly  installed  the  man  whom  you, 
of  your  own  volition  and  deliberate  choice,  have  called  to  serve 
you  as  your  leader,  your  counsellor  and  your  shepherd.  In  this 
act  you  have  taken  upon  yourselves  solemn  obligations  that  the 
great  head  of  the  church  will  hold  you  answerable  for.  It  is 
no  small  thing  for  a  church  or  people  to  call  a  minister  of  the 
gospel  from  his  God-given  field  of  usefulness  to  take  charge  of 
its  work.  For  being,  as  he  may  be,  settled  in  his  Master's  vine- 
yard, where  he  is  succeeding,  and  where  he  knows  how  to  suc- 
ceed, to  come  among  a  new  people,  to  discontinue  his  usefulness, 
to  run  the  risk  of  being  successful  or  to  be  disappointed  may 
be  for  life.  It  is  no  small  thing  to  do  this,  but,  on  the  other 
hand,  an  awful  thing.  For  this  man  you  have  called  is  doing 
a  great  work,  and  in  fact  he  has  done  the  greatest  work  that 
has  been  done  by  any  one  in  the  mission  in  this  State.  The 
truth  is,  he  is  a  man  who  will  succeed  in  any  field,  if  only 
allowed.  As  an  organizer  and  builder  he  is  the  acknowledged 
leader  in  this  State.  As  to  his  intellectual  ability  you  have 
been  truthfully  told  by  the  brother  who  introduced  him  to  you. 
I  have  been  appointed  to  speak  of  the  relations  to  exist  between 
you  as  church  and  pastor.  I  wish  to  say,  by  way  of  emphasis, 
that  whatever  a  pastor  may  do  or  be  very  greatly  depends  upon 
what  that  church  is,  or  what  that  church  may  be  capacitated 
for.  The  pastor  is  expected  to  draw  the  line  of  campaign  and 
furnish  the  brain  and  the  people  or  church  to  execute.  If  the 
church  grows  intellectually  or  morally  that  very  greatly  depends 
upon  the  leadership  of  the  pastor  coupled  with  its  own  willing- 
ness to  attain  these  high  and  lofty  things. 

"Then  the  first  thing  that  the  church  is  required  to  do  in 
order  to  get  these  blessings  is  to  have  great  confidence  in  the 
pastor  and  hold  him  in  high  esteem.  For  in  order  that  we  may 
follow  any  one  we  must  first  have  faith  in  such  an  one.  The 
second  thing  is  to  love  him ;  for  there  will  be  times  when  you 
will  be  called  upon  to  bear  very  much  with  your  leader,  and  if 
you  don't  love  him  you  can't  bear  the  burdens  that  may  be  put 
upon  you.  The  third  thing  is  to  be  willing  to  obey  your  pastor, 
for  the  good  book  informs  you  that  obedience  is  better  than 
sacrifice.  The  next  thing  is  you  must  pray  for  your  pastor; 
you  must  at  all  times  remember  that  he  needs  your  prayers. 


African  Baptist  Church.  95 

I  will  repeat  here  what  I  heard  once  told  having  happened 
between  a  church  and  its  pastor.  He,  it  was  said,  was  a  young 
man,  and  having  preached  for  some  time  to  the  church  was 
about  to  fail,  when  the  members  of  the  church  met  to  discuss 
the  matter  and  do  something  thereabout.  When  they  had  fully 
ventilated  the  matter,  one  brother  moved  that  the  pastor  be 
asked  to  resign  ;  but  just  before  they  voted  one  old  man  arose 
and  asked,  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  that  as  the  pastor  was  a 
young  man,  and  there  was  much  to  hope  for,  the  church 
pray  for  him  for  one  month,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  they 
had  quite  a  revival  in  their  church,  and  from  that  day  the 
church  began  to  grow  and  became  the  largest  and  most  flour- 
ishing church  of  that  day,  and  in  all  that  country  was  their 
praise.  So  I  would  urge  you  to  pray  for  your  church  and  pas- 
tor and  great  results  will  follow. 

"Then  I  want  to  tell  you  what  you  must  not  do  yourselves, 
nor  allow  anyone  else  to  do  in  your  presence — speak  disre- 
spectfully of  your  pastor ;  but  always  have  a  good  word  for  him. 
When  he  preaches  a  good  sermon,  tell  him  so.  and  it  will  help 
him  to  do  better  the  next  time.  If  he  does  or  speaks  a  thing 
you  do  not  understand,  do  not  go  around  criticizing  and  com- 
plaining, but  wait  for  an  opportunity  and  speak  to  him  kindly 
about  the  matter,  and  always  feel  that  you  have  pleasant  access 
to  him.  And  even  when  you  disagree  with  him,  allow  it  to  be 
between  you  two,  and  don't  go  all  over  the  town  tattling  and 
making  partisans  of  yourself  and  others.  This  will  injure  the 
church,  the  pastor,  others  and  yourselves.  Then  the  time  will 
come  when  you  may  learn  that,  after  all,  he  knew  best  and 
acted  wisely.  And  not  at  all  times  are  you  to  know  what  the 
true  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  does.  He  has  nothing  at  heart 
but  the  good  of  Zion  and  the  glory  of  God. 

"  I  have  known  Mr.  Love  most  intimately  for  the  past  thir- 
teen years,  and  I  tell  you  I  don't  know  any  man  for  whom  I 
would  swear  quicker  than  for  the  Rev.  Emanuel  K.  Love,  who 
has  been  called  to  serve  you.  He  is  a  good  man,  a  noble  man, 
a  man  whose  heart  is  as  broad  as  the  world  and  as  deep  as  the 
sea.  He  is  as  true  as  steel,  and  a  man  who  cannot  go  back  on 
a  friend.  I  know  no  man  so  well  as  I  know  E.  K.  Love.  He 
cannot  be  more  honest  than  he  is.     Deception  is  not  in  him. 

"And  I  pray  that  this  call,  which  he  has  felt  moved  by 
the  Holy  Ghost  to  answer,  has  been  of  God.  Then  if  it  has 
been  of  God  no  man  can  overthrow  or  hinder  him  from  going 
to  a  grand  success.  Hoping  that  this  old  patriarchal  and  his- 
torical church  may  be  made  all  that  the  dear  Lord  would  have 
her  be,  and  that  my  dearest  friend  and  your  beloved  and  newly- 


96  History  of  the  First 


elected  pastor  and  his  grand  church  may  do  all  they  may  desire 
to  do,  and  be,  through  him  that  loves  the  church  and  gave 
himself  for  the  church,  more  than  conquerors;  that  he  might 
present  to  God,  the  Father,  a  pure  church,  without  spot  or 
blemish,  or  any  other  such  thing,  is  the  humble  wish  of  your 
brother,  for  Christ's  sake.     Amen." 

Rev.  E.  R.  Carter  then  charged  the  pastor  in  a  most  touching 
manner. 

REV.    LOVE'S    ADDRESS. 

"  Dear  Brethren,  Sisters  and  Friends  generally :  This  demonstra- 
tion of  your  interest,  both  in  me  and  in  the  work  to  which  I 
have  been  called  by  this  people,  makes  me  feel  more  keenly 
than  ever  my  un worthiness  and  inability  to  discharge  the  du- 
ties of  this  high  office.  Were  I  to  consult  my  feelings  in  this 
matter  I  would  be  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  this  task  might 
have  been  consigned  to  more  competent  hands  than  mine.  But 
as  God  has  spoken  through  his  people,  as  his  servant,  I  should 
disregard  my  feelings  and  hear  what  the  Lord,  my  God,  saith. 
His  word  is  much  plainer  and  clearer  of  fault  than  my  treach- 
erous feeling;  to  his  word  I  bow.  If  God  chooses  to  work 
through  me  in  this  field,  I  think  I  should  make  no  objection.  I 
yield,  therefore,  and  throw  myself  upon  the  merit  of  His  grace, 
assured  that  He  is  with  me  '  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
world.'  I  come  among  you  as  one  that  serves.  I  give  you  my 
unqualified  word  to-night,  in  the  fear  of  God,  that  I  have  no 
friends  to  reward  nor  enemies  to  punish.  I  shall  look  upon 
every  man  in  this  church  as  my  brother  and  every  woman  as 
my  sister,  provided  I  find  them  worthy.  I  shall  place  every 
man  upon  his  merit:  Whatsoever  he  soweth  that  shall  he  also 
reap.  I  shall  rebuke  sin  in  whomever  and  wherever  I  find  it, 
regardless  of  the  consequence.  I  put  in  this  night  to  get  on 
with  you,  and  I  want  you  to  make  it  up  in  your  minds  that  we 
have  got  to  get  on  together.  There  is  no  good  reason  why  we 
should  not  get  on  together.  I  have  not  come  here  to  fall  out. 
I  pity  a  christian  that  cannot  live  in  peace  with  a  christian. 
The  religion  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  a  system  of  peace,  and 
those  who  do  not  make  peace  have  not  the  spirit  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  I  feel  very  grateful  for  the  complimentary  terms 
in  which  my  reverend  brethren  have  spoken  of  me  to-night.  I 
assure  you,  brethren,  that  you,  together  with  this  occasion, 
shall  be  carefully  and  sacredly  stored  away  in  my  fondest  recol- 
lection. Whatever  ability  I  may  possess  shall  be  devoted  to 
the  promotion  of  Zion  and  the  truest  interest  of  this  whole 


African  Baptist  Church.  97 

people.  They  shall  take  part  in  all  of  niy  thoughts.  My  heart 
shall  be  burdened  with  their  sorrows  and  elated  with  their 
joys.  I  shall  live  for  them,  and  hope  to  live  in  them.  I  may 
commit  errors.  Who  is  free  from  them  ?  I  shall  make  them 
as  seldom  and  as  far  between  as  possible.  They  shall  always 
be  errors  of  the  head.  It  is  not  my  desire  to  do  wrong.  Pray 
for  me  that  God  may  help  me  to  do  right  and  teach  you  the 
same.  I  want  to  prove  myself  a  workman  that  needeth  not  to 
be  ashamed  right  here  in  this  field.  May  God  grant  me  grace 
to  do  this  work  to  His  honor  and  glory. 

"Allow  me  to  say  to  you  before  I  finish  that  I  shall  try  my 
best  to  be  your  pastor,  and  I  wish  you  to  try  equally  as  hard  to 
be  the  members.  Treat  me  as  I  treat  you  and  I  ask  no  more. 
I  deserve  no  more.  I  expect  you  to  attend  church  as  regularly 
as  the  doors  are  open.  Let  us  start  with  each  other  in  a  way 
that  we  can  hold  out.  If  we  start  right  we  can  hold  out,  for 
right  breeds  right.  Let  us  remember  that  one  night's  confusion 
in  the  church  will  do  more  harm  than  we  can  remove  by 
months'  preaching.  As  it  is  easier  to  go  down  than  up,  we 
should  hold  every  notch  we  make  and  struggle  for  the  next  one. 
The  attention  of  the  country  is  turned  toward  this  church.  Look 
at  the  representatives  you  have  here  to-night  from  nearly  all  over 
Georgia.  Let  us  appreciate  our  surroundings  and  act  accord- 
ingly. If  there  be  any  who  have  made  it  up  in  their  minds  to 
make  this  administration  a  failure,  I  persuade  you,  in  the  name 
of  God,  to  change  your  minds.  Be  admonished  by  your  friend 
and  brother  to  unite  with  the  whole  church  to  cany  on  the 
work  of  God.  It  is  not  our  cause,  it  is  God's  cause,  and  let  us 
not  insult  our  Master  because  He  does  not  do  business  to  suit 
us.  He  is  working  for  our  good ;  He  knows  best  who  He  wants 
to  watch  over  his  people.  Do  not  contend  against  the  army 
lest  you  fight  against  God.  If  God,  whose  cause  we  espouse, 
can  put  up  with  a  man  in  His  vineyard,  it  does  seem  that  you 
might  be  able  to  stand  it.  I  must  congratulate  you  upon  the 
almost  unanimity  of  your  call.  Many  churches  have  split 
nearly  half  in  two  by  calling  a  preacher.  You  have  steered 
clear  of  this,  be  it  said  in  praise  of  the  church. 

"I  shall  deliver  my  inaugural  discourse  on  Sunday  night. 
That  discourse  will  be  an  index  to  my  administration.  I,  there- 
fore, urge  you  to  turn  out  in  full  and  hear  it." 

This  short  address  had  a  wonderful  impression  upon  the  peo- 
ple. The  reader  misses  the  fervor,  ease,  grace  and  earnestness 
with  which  it  was  delivered. 


98  History  of  the  First 


THE   PAPERS   ON   REV.  LOVE. 

The  Thoinasville  Times  said  of  him  when  he  resigned  the 
church  there : 

"Rev.  E.  K.  Love  has  resigned  the  pastorate  at  Thomasville 
and  enters  the  service  of  the  American  Baptist  Publication 
Society  as  Sunday  School  missionary.  The  following  is  the 
action  taken  by  the  deacons  of  the  church  in  reference  to  the 
matter : 

"  '  Resolved,  That  it  is  with  great  reluctance  that  we  are  con- 
strained to  accept  the  resignation  of  our  beloved  pastor ;  that 
the  ties  which  have  so  long  bound  us  together  are  indeed  hard 
to  sever ; 

'"That  in  thus  severing  the  relation  of  pastor  and  people  we 
recognize  the  hand  of  God  calling  him  to  a  more  useful  and 
extended  field ; 

"'That  we  will  follow  him  with  our  prayers  wherever  he 
goes,  praying  that  He  will  care  for  him  and  his  while  he  goes 
forth  to  do  the  bidding  of  the  Master; 

" '  That  his  faithfulness  and  earnest  labors  with  this  church 
entitle  him  to  a  warm  and  lasting  place  in  our  hearts  and  mem- 
ories ; 

"  'That  we  commend  him  most  heartily  and  cordially  to  our 
brethren  all  over  the  State  as  an  able  and  devoted  minister  of 
the  gospel ; 

"'That  the  doors  of  this  church,  and  the  hearts  of  our  peo- 
ple, will  always  be  open  to  him  when  he  returns  in  his  rounds 
of  labor; 

"'That  we,  as  a  church,  in  bidding  in  our  brother  adieu  at 
the  same  time  bid  him  God-speed  on  the  high  and  holy  mission 
to  which  he  has  been  called. 
'"(Signed) 

"'ROBERT  PONDER, 
'"S.SMITH, 
'"AARON  JONES, 
"'S.M.WILSON, 
'"ANDREW  HIGERSON, 
'"JAMES  A.  HAWKINS, 

"'Deacons.'" 

The  Times  said,  in  an  editorial : 

"Rev.  E.  K.  Love  has  the  entire  confidence  and  respect  of 
the  citizens  of  Thomasville,  white  and  black.  He  has  stayed 
here  long  enough  for  them  to  know  his  sterling  worth.     Georgia 


African  Baptist   Church.  99 

is  a  big  field,  but  if  there  is  a  man  who  can  work  it  up,  that 
man  is  E.  K.  Love." 

Rev.  T.  J.  Hornsby  in  The  Defense,  May  24,  I884. 

','  Hepzibah,  Ga.,  May  19th,  1884. 
11  Editor  Defense: 

"  Please  grant  us  space  to  speak  a  word  about  the  man  who 
is  styled  the  '  Bishop  of  Georgia,'  Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  the  Sunday 
School  missionary  of  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society. 
This  very  able  divine  visited  the  Spring  Hill  Baptist  Church  on 
the  17th  ultimo  and  delivered  one  of  his  supremely  eloquent 
sermons  upon  the  unpardonable  sin.  It  certainty  was  a  mas- 
terly effort,  and  we  would  be  glad  if  all  the  world  had  heard  it. 
He  conducted  an  institute  meeting  at  Smith  Grove  Church  on 
the  18th  and  19th  ultimo.  We  assure  you  that  it  was  timely, 
instructive  and  pleasant.  He  certainly  is  the  right  man  in  the 
right  place.  As  you  know,  he  is  not  only  enthusiastic  but  really 
logical  at  the  same  time.  He  seems  to  have  such  extraordinary 
and  commanding  powers,  and  can  preach  or  teach  with  so 
much  propriety  that  when  we  get  it  altogether  we  can  well 
afford  to  call  him  the  'Bishop.'  The  gentleman  handled  all  of 
his  subjects  with  great  credit  to  himself  and  incalculable  benefit 
to  his  audiences.  Well  may  the  denomination  boast  of  her 
gem  and  Georgia  exult  on  his  account.  It  has  been  some  time 
since  a  missionary  visited  us,  therefore  we  cannot  refrain  from 
talking  about  it  The  meeting  indorsed  the  God-sent  man  and 
his  work  in  very  commendable  terms,  which  we  forwarded  to 
the  Georgia  Baptist,  which  I  have  been  taking  nearly  ever  since 
its  existence,  with  request  to  publish,  which  must  have  gotten 
into  the  scrap  basket  before  they  were  published,  for  three 
weeks  have  passed  since  and  we  have  not  seen  them.  As  the 
resolutions  were  long  may  be  this  caused  them  to  be  left  un- 
published. Accept  many  thanks  for  space. 
''Respectfully, 

"T.  J.  HORNSBY." 

Rev.  Love  and  the  Georgia  Baptist  were  not  on  good  terms  at 
this  time,  and  hence  nothing  in  praise  of  him  could  find  its  way 
into  the  columns  of  that  paper. 

Echo,  Savannah. 

The  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society  of  the  First  African 
Baptist  Church  Sunday  School,  said  of  Mr.  Love  in  the  Echo: 

"The  regular  meeting  of  this  society  will  take  place  at  the 
First  African    Baptist   Church   this    (Sunday)  afternoon  at  3 


100  History  of  the  First 


o'clock.  Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  of  Thornasville,  Georgia,  will  preach 
the  regular  missionary  sermon,  which  will  certainly  prove  quite 
interesting,  as  Mr.  Love  is  decidedly  one  of  the  ablest  divines 
in  the  Stp^te.  The  collections  at  this  mission  meeting  are  for 
sending  the  gospel  of  Christ  to  the  poor  heathens  in  Africa,  a  ad 
it  is  hoped  the  attendance  will  be  large  and  the  contributions 
liberal.  Mr.  C.  L.  De  Lamotta  is  one  of  the  leading  agitators  in 
this  work  in  the  Forest  City  whose  efforts  in  its  behalf  is  un- 
doubtedly commendable  in  every  particular." 

The  Sentinel  said  of  him : 

"The  election  of  the  Rev.  Editor  Love,  as  pastor  of  a  great 
Baptist  church  in  Savannah,  is  a  well  merited  compliment  both 
to  the  church  itself  and  its  new  pastor.  Rev.  Love  is  acknowl- 
edged, we  believe,  to  be  the  ablest  biblical  scholar  among  the 
young  colored  men  of  his  State.  As  a  pulpit  orator  he  has  no 
superiors  and  few  equals  among  Georgia's  clergj7.  As  a  writer 
and  thinker  on  general  topics  he  stands  among  the  foremost. 
We  bespeak  for  pastor  and  flock  a  happy  association." 

Camilla  Clarion  (  White). 

"  Rev.  E.  K.  Love  has  been  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the 
First  Baptist  (colored)  Church  in  Savannah  and  will  make  that 
city  his  home.  He  taught  and  studied  in  Camilla  for  several 
years,  and  we  know  his  record  and  his  abilities.  He  is  indeed 
a  very  intelligent  and  able  man  and  the  church  has  done  well 
to  secure  his  services.  Withal  he  is  pious  and  devoted  to  his 
work.     We  congratulate  all  parties." 

Savannah  Morning  News  (  White.) 

"Rev.  E.  K.  Love  has  recently  been  called  to  the  pastorate 
of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  of  this  city  to  fill  the 
vacancy  occasioned  by  the  death  of  the  late  Rev.  Geofge  Gib- 
bons. He  was  installed  on  Thursday  night.  This  young  divine 
is  a  graduate  of  the  Atlanta  Baptist  Seminary  and  is  one  of  the 
foremost  men  in  the  denomination.  For  three  years  he  was 
missionary  of  Georgia  under  the  Home  Mission  Society,  iSTew 
York,  and  the  Georgia  Baptist  Mission  Board  (white).  He 
resigned  that  position  to  take  charge  of  the  Thoniasville  Bap- 
tist Church  and  served  that  church  three  years,  during  which 
he  baptized  400  converts  and  greatly  added  to  the  material 
interest  of  the  church.  He  resigned  the  Thoniasville  church 
against  the  earnest  solicitation  of  the  people  and  accepted  the 


African  Baptist   Church.  101 

missionary  position  under  the  American  Baptist  Publication  So- 
ciety of  Philadelphia,  which  position  he  held  for  four  years.  He 
gave  entire  satisfaction,  and  resigned  that  position  to  accept  the 
call  to  the  church  of  this  city.  He  was  at  one  time  editor  of  a 
paper  published  in  Albany,  Georgia,  known  as  the  National 
Watchman,  and  is  at  present  second  editor  of  the  Weekly  Sentinel, 
a  negro  paper  published  in  Augusta,  Georgia." 

Augusta  Sentinel,  Sept.  12th,  1885. 

PASTORATE   FIRST   AFRICAN   BAPTIST    CHURCH. 

"  The  above-named  church  is  one  of  the  largest  and  most  pros- 
perous churches  in  Georgia.  It  has  been  pastored  by  such 
worthy  men  as  Bryan,  Marshall,  Campbell  and  Gibbons,  all  of 
whom  are  now  in  the  enjoyment  of  infinite  rest.  The  church 
has  more  than  3,000  members,  and  is  noted  for  her  benevolent 
missionary  spirit.  Bev.  Emanuel  K.  Love  has  been  called  to 
the  pastorate  of  this  noble  church  and  the  church  made  a  wise 
selection.  He  is  a  diligent  student  of  the  Scriptures,  well  edu- 
cated, a  sound  theologian — all  his  sermons  bear  the  stamp  of 
his  iron  genius.  He  is  in  full  vigor  of  a  well-developed  man- 
hood and  of  a  richly-cultivated  intellect.  As  a  preacher,  he  is 
able,  instructive  and  powerful ;  his  views  vast,  profound,  origi- 
nal, and  his  sermons  practical.  As  a  pastor,  he  is  sympa- 
thetic, vigilant,  benevolent,  and  devoted  to  missions,  and  will 
faithfully  discharge  the  duties  of  that  responsible  office. 

"  During  his  pastorate  at  Thomasville  the  church  was  strength- 
ened greatly  and  reached  a  high  degree  of  prosperity.  Now, 
as  a  missionary  under  the  auspices  of  the  Publication  Society  of 
Philadelphia,  his  perseverance  and  devotion  in  that  work  has 
caused  him  to  be  styled  one  of  the  best  missionaries  in  the 
South.  He  has  qualifications  that  fit  him  preeminently  for  the 
position  he  has  been  called  to  fill ;  he  brings  to  it  the  best  of 
executive  and  organizing  powers,  combined  with  unquestioned 
consecration  to  his  Saviour  and  His  cause.  He  is  kind,  gener- 
ous, noble-hearted,  and  possesses  germs  of  genuine  greatness. 
There  is  no  man  in  Georgia  to-day  more  interested  in  the  work 
of  his  denomination  than  E.  K.  Love.  C.  T.  TV." 

The  Sentinel. 

"On  next  Thursday  night,  at  8  o'clock,  Rev.  E.  K.  Love, the 
Baptist  Sunday  School  missionary  and  evangelist  of  the  State  of 
Georgia,  will  preach  at  Thankful  Baptist  Church.  Bev.  Love 
needs  no   introduction   to   the   people   of  Augusta.      On   this 


102  History  of  the  First 


occasion  he  proposes  to  preach  the  grandest  sermon  of  his  life. 
Let  everybody  turn  out  to  hear  him." 

Rev.  Love  made  no  such  intimation  as  above. 

The  following  is  the  introductory  sermon  of  Rev.  E.  K.  Love 
on  entering  upon  the  pastorate  of  the  church : 

INTRODUCTORY  SERMON 

Of  Rev.  Emanuel  K.  Love  on  Entering  the  Pastorate  of  the  First 
African  Baptist  Church,  Savannah,  Ga.,  Preached  Sunday 
Night,  October  J+th,  1885.  It  is  Published  by  the  Unanimous 
Request  of  the  Church,  expressed  by  a  Vote. 

"  This  very  able  and  instructive  sermon  was  delivered  by  Rev. 
Emanuel  K.  Love  on  entering  the  pastoral  duties  of  the  First 
African  Baptist  Church  of  Savannah,  Ga.,  the  first  Sabbath 
night  in  October,  1885.  The  spacious  and  magnificent  audito- 
rium of  the  grand  old  church  was  crowded  to  its  utmost  capacity, 
and  many  could  not  gain  admittance. 

"  The  author  is  a  sound  theologian,  strikingly  original,  and  has 
reached  the  degree  of  a  well-developed  and  richly  cultivated 
intellect.  It  is  by  the  unanimous  request  of  this  time-honored 
church  that  the  sermon  appear  in  print. 

"It  is  replete  with  wholesome  advice,  helpful  suggestions, 
and  is  capable  of  elevating  and  edifying  each  christian  soldier. 

"It  is  hoped  that  this  evangelical  gospel  sermon  will  be  care- 
fully and  prayerfully  read,  and  that  the  pastorate  of  our  dear 
brother  may  be  richly  fruitful  of  good. 

"C.  T.  Walker, 
"Pastor  of  Tabernacle  Baptist  Church,  Augusta,  Ga." 

"Acts,  x,  29 :  '  Therefore,  came  I  unto  you  without  gainsaying 
as  soon  as  I  was  sent  for:  I  ask,  therefore,  for  what  intent  have 
ye  sent  for  me.' 

THE    SERMON. 

"I  have  very  often  preached  to  this  church  for  six  or  seven 
years,  and  although  I  could  not  have  done  so  more  earnestly, 
I've  never  attempted  to  preach  to  you  in  the  capacity  which  I 
now  attempt.  Before  I  have  taken  up  the  burden  only  for  a 
short  while — for  a  night,  for  a  day,  and  never  for  longer  than  a 
week  or  two,  though  I've  carried  you  in  my  heart,  for  God 
had  assured  me  years,  ago  that  I  would  be  your  pastor.  I  was 
not  responsible  for  }rour  perpetual  instruction,  the  order  of  your 


African  Baptist  Church.  103 

house,  nor  the  peace  of  this  flock ;  I'm  invited  now  to  a  con- 
stant burden,  and  for  your  welfare  I  must  shoulder  the  respon- 
sibility. I  feel  it  needful,  therefore,  to  have  a  plain  talk  with 
you  to  night,  hence  I  have  selected  this  text  to  ask  you  for 
what  intent  did  you  send  for  me.  You  will  recollect  that  the 
angel  told  Cornelius  to  send  for  Peter,  and  that  the  Lord  told 
Peter  that  he  had  instructed  Cornelius  to  send  for  him ;  yet 
Peter  asked  Cornelius  why  he  sent  for  him.  It  may  not  be  out 
of  place,  therefore,  for  me  to  ask  you  for  what  intent  did  you 
send  for  me.  Let  us  notice  the  person  sending  for  the  preacher : 
"  I. — Cornelius  had  been  praying.  This  was  the  proper  time 
to  send  for  a  preacher,  after  prayer  and  after  he  had  received 
God's  answer.  Such  persons  are  always  ready  to  hear  words 
of  God  from  His  ministers.  A  church  should  never  presume  to 
call  a  preacher  until  it  has  consulted  God  in  prayer  and  his 
answer  returned.  You  will  observe  that  the  whole  matter  of  a 
choice  of  a  preacher  was  left  with  God.  God  chose  the  preacher, 
named  the  man  and  told  where  he  was.  Cornelius  prayed 
before  sending  for  the  preacher.  He  did  not  call  together  a 
select  few  and  discuss  personality  and  raise  objections;  he 
prayed.  He  did  not  hunt  up  his  parliamentary  guide  to  make 
trap  motions,  call  the  previous  question,  or  move  to  lay  on  the 
table ;  he  prayed.  He  did  not  make  a  long,  cunning  speech  and 
have  some  one  posted  to  second  his  motion ;  he  prayed.  He 
did  not  rise  to  a  point  of  order,  a  privilege  question,  or  a  ques- 
tion of  information ;  he  prayed.  There  was  no  confusion  about 
whom  he  must  call,  about  the  majority  ruling  or  the  sovereignty 
of  the  church;  he  prayed.  I  have  no  sympathy  and  less 
patience  with  rings,  tricksters,  family  connections  and  party 
ties  or  aristocracy  in  the  church  of  Christ.  Let  us  stand  on  the 
same  hallowed  plain  of  brotherly  love  and  friendship,  remem- 
bering that  one  is  our  Master,  even  Christ,  and  that  we  are  all 
brethren.  It  will  be  noticed  again  that  Cornelius  sent  a  com- 
mittee of  three  to  inform  Peter  of  his  call  and  to  accompany 
him  on  his  way.  This  committee  went  both  in  the  name  of 
God  and  in  the  name  of  Cornelius.  They  informed  Peter  that 
Cornelius  had  been  praying,  and  that  in  answer  to  his  prayer 
God  had  instructed  him  to  send  to  Joppa  for  him.  As  though 
it  was  necessary  for  Peter  to  understand  the  character  of  the 
man  who  had  sent  for  him  to  enter  his  house,  they  x^roceeded 
to  give  a  brief  history  of  the  life  of  Cornelius,  and  recommended 
him  very  highly  to  the  preacher.  It  is  not  out  of  place,  there- 
fore, for  preachers  to  know  something  of  the  churches  that  seek 
them,  and  to  have  a  good  report  of  them.  God  recommended 
Peter,  and  he  needed  nothing  more.     It  is  too  common  among 


104  History  of  the  First 


us  to  accept  a  church  with  merely  a  'majority.'  The  sooner 
this  custom  dies  out  the  better  it  will  be  for  our  churches.  I 
doubt  any  man's  fitness  or  call  to  the  gospel  ministry  who  will, 
for  the  sake  of  getting  a  church,  accept  the  call  to  be  its  pastor 
with  merely  a  majority,  and  encourage  confusion  and  disaffec- 
tion among  the  brethren.  It  must  be  noticed  again  that  Cor- 
nelius made  himself  responsible  for  the  preacher's  congregation. 
He  did  not  expect  the  preacher  to  come  there  and  preach  up 
his  own  congregation.  He  had  gone  around  or  sent  and  invited 
his  neighbors  and  relatives,  and  having  his  own  family  present. 
When  the  preacher  reached  Cornelius  he  found  his  congregation 
in  waiting.  This  is  so  unlike  the  raajorhy  of  our  churches. 
They  send  for  the  preacher  and  expect  him  to  gather  the  con- 
gregation, do  the  preaching,  do  the  praying,  do  the  singing,  lead 
the  prayer  meetings,  teach  Sunday  school,  make  the  people  do 
right,  and  keep  the  spirit  in  the  church.  If  the  church  gets 
cold  and  converts  are  not  coming  in  they  charge  it  up  to  the 
preacher,  and  hence  they  mourn,  sigh  and  pray  for  a  change  of 
preacher.  It  must  still  be  noticed  that  Cornelius  did  not  con- 
tent himself  with  having  sent  for  the  preacher  and  congregated 
his  hearers,  but  as  soon  as  he  heard  that  Peter  was  coming  went 
out  himself  to  meet  him,  and  embrace  him.  and  extend  to  him 
that  christian  welcome  that  only  those  can  give  whose  hearts 
are  aglow  with  the  love  of  God.  This,  too,  is  so  very  much 
unlike  the  most  of  our  churches.  Too  many  of  our  members' 
interest  end  with  the  call  of  the  preacher.  They  are  not  there 
to  embrace  him,  cooperate  Avith  him,  and  sympathize  with  him 
in  his  work.  It  is  oftentimes  true  that  those  who  are  foremost 
in  calling  the  preacher  are  furthest  behind  in  supporting  him. 
But  I  think  better  things  of  you.  The  shake  of  hand  is  stiff, 
slack  and  cold,  destitute  of  love,  and  there  is  no  religion  in  it. 
There  is  so  much  depending  upon  the  encouragement  the 
preacher  receives  from  his  people.  It  must  be  noticed  that 
Cornelius  announced  himself  and  his  people  ready  for  the 
preacher  and  his  message.  Terse  35:  '£Tow,  therefore,  are  we 
all  here  present  before  God  to  hear  all  things  that  are  com- 
manded thee  of  God.'  This  is  not  always  the  case  with  our 
congregations.  In  the  first  place  all  are  not  there,  and  all  of 
those  who  are  there  are  not  there  to  hear  all  things  commanded 
the*-  preacher  of  God.  Some  things  they  would  much  prefer  not 
to  hear.  And  still,  let  us  observe  that  Cornelius  took  the 
preacher  into  his  house  and  cared  for  him.  He  did  not  try  to 
put  him  off  on  somebody  else  or  send  him  to  a  hotel.  He  was 
willing  to  take  God's  message  into  his  heart  and  God's  messen- 
ger into  his  house.     He  was  willing  to  provide  for  the  man  who 


African  Baptist   Church.  105 

brought  to  hini  the  bread  of  life.     This  should  teach  us  a  lessou. 
'I  ask,  therefore,  for  what  intent  have  ye  sent  for  me? ' 

II.  THE  PERSON  SENT  FOR — THE  PREACHER. 

"  The  minister  is  God's  chosen  instructor.  God  sends  men  to 
teach  men ;  He  has  always  employed  men  to  teach  meu.  though 
men  have  not  always  been  willing  to  be  taught  by  the  men  God 
has  sent  them.  They  have  spoken  evil  of  their  teachers,  per- 
secuted them,  imprisoned  them,  and  put  them  to  death  in  every 
conceivable  way.     This  is  the  terrible  history  of  the  world. 

"A  milder  form  of  persecution  now  exists — it  is  slander,  evil- 
speaking  and  refusing  to  pay  the  preacher.  When  the  preacher 
fails  to  suit  them,  they  resort  to  some  one  or  all  of  these  meth- 
ods. It  is  very  often  that  the  preacher  finds  those  of  his  congre- 
gation who  presume  to  teach  him.  With  these  he  must  contend. 
There  are  those  in  this  congregation  who  can  teach  me  about 
merchandise,  carpentering,  sampling  cotton,  printing,  painting, 
laying  bricks,  plastering,  machinery,  and  manjT  other  trades, 
but  I've  come  to  teach  you  the  bible — the  word  of  God.  I've 
come  to  teach  every  one  of  you.  God  has  called  me  through 
you  to  teach  you  this  word,  and  I  have  come  to  do  this  work. 
Is  that  the  intent  for  which  you  have  sent  for  me?  Then 
pray  God  to  help  me  do  this  great  work  to  His  honor  and  glory 
and  your  edification  and  truest  interest.  Israel  thought  quite 
often  that  they  could  teach  Moses.  God  teaches  in  mercy 
through  his  ministers,  or  teaches  in  wrath  himself.  When  Saul 
failed  to  hear  the  prophet  he  taught  him  in  death.  Our  Saviour 
has  said  to  his  ministers,  '  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  na- 
tions, baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Teaching  them  to  observe  all 
things  whatsoever  I've  commanded  you;  and  lo!  I  am  with 
you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.  Amen.' — Matt., 
xxxviii,  19,  20. 

"'And  he  gave  some  apostles,  and  some  prophets,  and  some 
evangelists,  and  some  pastors,  and  some  teachers.' — Eph.,iv,  11. 
We  see,  therefore,  that  the  teacher  is  divinely  appointed.  God 
has  always  had  them.  We  read  in  Isaiah  xxx,  20,  21 :  'And 
though  the  Lord  give  you  the  bread  of  adversity  and  the  water 
of  affliction,  yet  shall  not  thy  teachers  be  removed  into  a  corner 
any  more,  but  thine  eyes  shall  see  thy  teachers,  and  thine  ears 
shall  hear  a  word  behind  thee  saying, ;  This  is  the  way,  walk  ye 
in  it,  when  ye  turn  to  the  right  hand  and  when  ye  turn  to  the 
left.'  It  will  be  observed  that  the  teacher  is  to  point  out  the 
way  to  the  people  and  urge  them  to  walk  in  it.    The  people  are 


1C6  History  of  the  First 


not  to  point  out  the  way  to  the  teacher,  but  the  teacher  is  to 
point  out  the  way  to  the  people.  God  enjoins  the  duty  of  teach- 
ing the  people  upon  the  ministers. 

"Again,  it  will  be  observed,  that  the  minister  is  God's  leader. 
Too  many  of  our  churches  presume  to  lead  the  preachers  and 
some  of  them  are  led,  and  they  fall,  and  great  is  the  fall.  The 
preachers  should  be  first  in  labors  of  love ;  first  in  the  mission 
work ;  first  at  the  bedside  of  the  suffering,  when  in  his  power ; 
first  in  matters  that  concern  the  public  good,  and,  so  far  as  he 
is  able,  first  in  matters  that  elevate  the  people  intellectually 
and  every  other  way.  If  I  should  be  asked  to  name  some 
things  and  places  which  he  should  be  last  in  or  not  at  all  in, 
among  the  many  I  would  name  politics,  bar  rooms,  shows,  ex- 
cursions, and  last,  but  not  least,  debts.  To  owe  is  either  to  be  a 
slave  or  dishonest.  A  debt  is  a  curse.  The  preacher  should  be 
as  an  iEofian  harp,  catching  the  faintest  breeze  of  heaven's  air, 
and  resounding  in  thunder  tones  to  his  flock — he  stands  nearest 
to  God  and  should  hear  Him  first.  Indeed,  he  hears  when  no 
one  else  hears.  God  has  promised  that  the  preacher  should 
hear  the  words  from  His  mouth  and  warn  the  people  from  Him. 
Our  Saviour  has  said,  in  Luke  10,  16 :  '  He  that  heareth  you, 
heareth  me;  and  he  that  despiseth  you,  despiseth  me;  aud  he 
that  despiseth  me,  despiseth  Him  that  sent  me.'  This 'should 
make  us  be  very  careful  how  we  treat  God's  leaders.  He  says 
again:  'He  that  receiveth  you,  receiveth  me.' — Matt.,  x,  10. 
I  have  trembled  for  people  when  I  have  seen  them  mistreat 
God's  servants.  The  insult  is  not  to  the  servants,  it  is  thrown 
in  the  face  of  his  Master.  Better  for  that  people  had  they  never 
been  born  than  to  meet  a  God  who  pleads  the  cause  of  his  ser- 
vants. I  wonder  how  they  expect  to  meet  God  and  answer  for 
this  insult  before  him.  The  people  should  follow  the  preacher 
as  he  follows  Christ.  I  would  ask  again,  for  what  intent  did  ye 
send  for  me?  There  are  those  in  the  church  who  are  ready  to 
follow  after  anybody  else  than  the  preacher,  and  after  anything 
else  than  righteousness.  This  is  not  confined  to  a  few  and  not 
confined  to  the  poor  and  unlearned.  There  are  those  who  are 
unable  to  attend  church,  but  get  perfectly  well  to  attend  anj^ 
entertainment  of  a  worldly  character.  We  should  know  that 
our  religion  is  following;  we  shall  know  if  we  follow  on  to 
know ;  we  are  commanded  to  learn  of  Christ ;  his  ministers  are 
the  teachers ;  the  church  is  the  school  house  and  the  Bible  is 
the  text  book,  and  the  people  are  the  scholars.  The  angel  told 
Cornelius  that  Peter  would  tell  him  what  he  ought  to  do.  This 
is  the  burden  of  the  preacher's  mission  to  tell  people  what  they 
ought  to  do  in  spiritual  matters — in   matters  that  pertain  to 


African  Baptist  Church.  107 

their  everlasting  salvation.  I  am  glad  that  the  preacher  is  not 
expected  to  make  people  do,  but  to  tell  them  what  they  ought 
to  do.  If  he  was  to  make  them  do.  the  entire  responsibility  of 
their  salvation  would  rest  upon  the  preachers,  and  every  one 
that  was  lost,  his  damnation  would  be  charged  up  to  some  poor 
preacher.  He  is  appointed  to  tell  people  what  they  ought  to 
do.     I  ask,  therefore,  for  what  intent  have  ye  sent  for  me? 

"  The  minister  is  God's  embassador.  An  embassador  is  the 
highest  commissioned  officer;  he  is  usually  sent  to  a  foreign 
country ;  his  duty  is  to  represent  the  power  that  commissioned 
him ;  he  must,  therefore,  be  somewhat  in  character  as  the  com- 
missioner ;  he  must  understand  the  burden  of  his  message,  the 
laws  of  the  country  he  represents,  and  he  must  either  under- 
stand the  laws  and  language  of  those  to  whom  he  is  sent  or 
must  have  an  interpreter.  The  Spirit  of  God  is  his  interpreter. 
God  has  sent  him  out  on  a  mission  of  peace.  The  world  is  his 
field;  the  minister  is  God's  overseer;  he  is  to  watch  over  the 
spiritual  interest  of  the  church  of  Christ ;  he  is  called  the  angel 
of  the  church.  Christ  is  the  shepherd  and  bishop  of  our  souls, 
and  the  minister  is  the  under-shepherd ;  he  is  to  feed  the  church 
of  God  which  he  has  purchased  with  his  own  blood.  There  is 
no  one  who  can  supply  the  place  of  the  preacher :  no  one  on 
earth  is  over  him.  He  is  the  only  overseer  in  the  church. 
God  made  him  overseer,  and  any  effort  made  to  change  him  is 
an  insult  to  the  power  by  which  he  is  appointed.  He  is  clothed 
with  the  power  of  God  and  he  is  to  beseech  men  in  Christ's 
stead  to  be  reconciled  to  God.  '  I  ask,  therefore,  for  what  in- 
tent have  ye  sent  for  me?'  The  message  which  he  is  to  deliver 
is  glad  tidings  of  a  reconciled  God  to  the  children  of  men.  In 
this  work  he  does  not  always  meet  with  encouragement ;  yet 
his  business  is  to  preach  faithfully  the  gospel  of  Christ,  leaving 
the  result  and  his  own  provision  and  life  in  the  hands  of  his 
Master  who  commissioned  him.  I  have  heard  many  preachers 
complain  of  it  being  harder  to  preach  on  Sunday  night  than  at 
any  hour  during  the  day.  I  have  often  felt  it  a  strain  myself.  I 
have  wondered  why.  I  used  to  think  that  it  was  because  there 
was  a  much  larger  crowd  and  more  heat  and  diversity  of  minds 
to  deal  with  and  endeavor  to  control.  But  this  reason  does 
not  seem  to  hold  good.  I  have  lately  concluded  that  it  is  due 
to  the  fact  that  our  congregations  are  too  much  given  to  visit- 
ing and  street  promenading  on  Sunday,  that  when  night  comes 
they  find  themselves  too  much  fatigued  to  enjoy  and  take  in  a 
sermon.  When  a  person  has  been  engaged  in  visiting,  laugh- 
ing, talking  and  having  a  good  time  during  the  day,  when 
night  comes  he  is  not  prepared  to  sit  an  hour  and  listen  to  a 


108  History  of  the  First 


discourse  without  having  a  chance  to  throw  in  a  word  occa- 
sionally and  laugh  quite  heartily  frequently,  or  get  up  and  take 
a  drink  of  water  once  in  awhile.  His  mental  and  physical  pow- 
ers have  both  been  excited,  and  if  he  doesn't  go  to  sleep  he  will 
feel  like  it ;  but  most  generally  he  will  get  at  it.  He  will,  at 
any  rate,  get  tired  of  the  sermon,  and  call  the  most  masterly 
effort  '  a  poor  thing. '  He  is  not  prepared  to  take  it  in ;  nature 
wants  rest;  the  fault  is  his  own.  What  effect  has  this  upon 
the  preacher?  Well,  just  this:  As  the  congregation  is,  so  will 
the  preacher  be;  he  cannot  carry  all  asleep,  he  can  lead  them 
all  awake.  Energetic,  earnest  hearers,  the  bright  countenances, 
sparkling  eyes  and  attentive  ears,  all  conspire  to  enthuse  the 
man  of  God  to  deliver  his  message.  How  will  we  remedy  this  ? 
Well,  if  our  people  will  not  do,  and  will  do,  we  will  soon  see  that 
it  will  be  as  easy,  if  not  easier,  to  preach  on  Sunday  night  as  at 
any  other  hour  during  the  day.  If  our  people  will  not  do  so 
much  visiting  on  Sunday,  and  will  not  engage  in  such  light  em- 
ployment and  that  of  a  worldly  character  on  Sunday,  and  will 
stay  home  during  church  service  intervals  and  will  read  their 
Bibles  and  meditate  on  the  law  of  the  Lord,  and  will  sing  or 
hum  praises  to  God,  and  will  pray  as  did  Cornelius,  they  would 
come  to  the  church  prepared  to  hear  all  things  of  the  preacher 
commanded  of  God,  and  would,  indeed,  worship  God.  A  pray- 
ing congregation  makes  an  earnest  minister ;  an  appreciative, 
interesting  and  weeping  people  make  an  eloquent  preacher. 
So,  my  hearers,  if  God  has  called  your  pastor,  revealed  His  Son 
in  him  and  committed  to  him  this  glorious  gospel,  you  have  the 
privilege  to  improve  him.  You  can  make  him  just  what  you 
want  him  to  be.  You  can  make  him  profound  by  asking  him 
questions  that  have  puzzled  you ;  you  can  aid  him  in  piety  by 
praying  for  him.  This  you  ought  always  do.  You  can  make 
him  study  by  studying  yourself  and  supporting  him.  You  can 
make  him  love  }rou  by  loving  him ;  you  can  make  him  tender 
by  being  tender  yourself.  Many  farmers  have  made  poor  land 
rich ;  many  poor  horses  have  been  made  fat  by  good  attention. 
You  have  the  ax ;  grind  it.  Nobody  can  tell  how  much  it  helps 
a  preacher  to  do  his  work  when  his  people  encourage  him  but 
a  preacher,  and  may  be  he  cannot  tell  himself  just  how  much  it 
aids  him.  '  I  ask,  therefore,  for  what  intent  have  you  sent  for 
me?'  God's  preachers  love  their  work.  I  had  rather  be  a 
preacher  than  be  the  world.  I  had  rather  be  a  preacher  than 
to  be  any  one  or  all  of  the  stars.  I  had  rather  be  a  preacher 
than  to  be  the  sun.  I  had  rather  be  a  preacher  than  to  be  an 
angel.  Did  God  count  me  worthy  to  commit  this  glorious  work 
to  me  ?     God  wanted  me  to  be  a  preacher,  hence  He  called  me 


African  Baptid   Church.  109 

and  revealed  His  Son  in  me.  This  Son  I  have  come  to  preach 
to  yon.  Is  that  the  intent  for  which  ye  have  sent  for  me  ?  Then 
God  forbid  that  I  should  know  anything  among  yon  save  Christ 
and  Him  crucified. 

''III. — The  preacher  should  go  to  the  people  to  whom  he  is 
called  just  as  soon  as  he  is  convinced  that  it  is  the  will  of  God. 
and  doubt  nothing.  Again,  while  Cornelius  had  been  praying 
Peter  had  been  praying  too ;  hence,  both  were  prepared  for  their 
work.  Cornelius  was  prepared  to  hear  and  Peter  was  prepared 
to  preach.  In  order  to  be  prepared,  each  must  pray.  Both 
saw  a  vision.  The  same  God  appeared  to  both.  Cornelius  said 
we  are  all  here  before  God  to  hear,  and  Peter  said,  I  came  with- 
out gainsaying  as  soon  as  I  was  sent  for  to  preach.  He  had  no 
doubt.  God  had  assured  him  that  it  was  his  duty  to  go.  The 
obedient  servant  will  not  question  his  work  when  the  Master  has 
spoken.  Indeed,  when  God  calls  a  servant  to  a  work  his  pro- 
vision is  all  right.  God  will  see  that  he  is  supported,  protected 
and  guided.  There  is  nothing  to  fear  in  the  God-selected  field. 
He  may  not  always  have  encouragement  in  his  field,  but  if  he  is 
ready  to  preach  the  gospel  of  Christ  he  must  be  willing  to  bear 
the  conflicts  of  the  gospel  and  to  endure  hardships  as  a  good 
soldier  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  must  through  tribulations  enter 
heaven,  and  lead  others.  His  way  is  marked  through  tribula- 
tions, and  to  shun  them  is  to  leave  the  hallowed  way.  Even  those 
to  whom  he  preaches  will  at  times  turn  against  him.  This  was 
the  case  with  his  Master,  the  prophets  and  apostles.  He  will 
meet  his  hardest  trials  among  his  own  people.  They  will  be 
willing  to  pull  out  their  eyes  for  him  to-day,  and  be  ready  to 
pull  out  his  eyes  to-morrow :  but  he  must  bear  the  toils,  endure 
the  pains,  supported  by  the  word  of  his  Master.  The  minister 
must  be  ready  to  preach  the  gospel  under  all  circumstances. 
His  Master  has  not  promised  him  that  he  would  have  no  trou- 
ble, but  has  warned  him  of  trouble  and  advised  him  to  beware 
of  men.  Though  he  is  to  preach  to  men  he  is  warned  of  them. 
While  he  is  preparing  a  sermon  for  them  they  are  making  a 
trap  for  him ;  while  he  is  praying  for  them  they  are  finding  fault 
with  him ;  while  he  is  outing  the  fire  of  dissension  they  are 
busy  kindling  it ;  and,  as  Judas,  they  grumble  at  every  chari- 
table deed.  Yet,  in  all  this,  the  preacher  must  be  ready  to 
preach  the  gospel  to  them.  To  preach  to  them  is  his  own  food, 
and  to  refuse  to  do  which  is  to  starve  himself.  He  must  eat  of 
the  same  food  which  he  deals  out  to  others.  Their  dish  is  his 
dish,  and  their  diet  is  his  diet.  Hear  his  solemn  charge:  'I 
charge  thee  therefore  before  God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
who  shall  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead  at  his  appearing  and 


110  History  of  the  First 


his  kingdom ;  preach  the  word ;  be  instant  in  season  and  out  of 
season ;  reprove,  rebuke,  exhort  with  all  long  suffering  and  doc- 
trine.'— II  Tim.,  iv,  1-2.  To  this  our  congregations  will  object, 
especially  the  part  that  tells  the  preacher  to  rebuke.  In  I  Tim., 
4,  16,  he  is  told:  'Take  heed  unto  thyself,  and  unto  the  doc- 
trine ;  continue  in  them :  for  in  doing  this  thou  shalt  both  save 
thyself,  and  them  that  hear  thee.'  In  Acts  xx,  28,  it  is  said: 
'  Take  heed  therefore  unto  yourselves,  and  unto  all  the  flock 
over  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you  overseers,  to  feed 
the  church  of  God,  which  he  has  purchased  with  his  own 
blood.'  These  passages  point  out  very  clearly  the  preacher's 
duty;  he  cannot  mistake  his  way;  let  him  take  the  word  of 
God  as  a  man  of  his  counsel  and  have  simple  faith  in  God.  In 
order  for  the  preacher  to  be  ready  in  season  and  out  of  season, 
he  needs  always  to  pray  for  the  Spirit  of  God  to  assist  him  in 
preaching  the  gospel.  He  should  go  to  his  people  read}7  to 
share  their  joys,  sorrows  and  troubles.  He  should  be  ready  to 
mourn  with  them  who  mourn,  and  weep  with  them  who  weep, 
and  pray  with  them  who  pray.  It  is  the  most  fearful  responsi- 
bility under  heaven  to  be  a  pastor — the  most  sacred  trust  and 
the  highest  honor.  I  am  officially  informed  that  I  have  been 
chosen  of  God  and  called  by  his  people  to  be  the  pastor  of  this 
church.  Regarding  the  voice  of  the  people  as  being  the  voice 
of  God,  I  do  therefore,  in  the  name  of  God,  accept  the  same.  I 
accept,  not  ignorant  of  its  weight  and  cares.  I  shall  expect 
you  as  a  church  to  do  your  part,  remembering  that  whatever 
you  mete  to  men  it  shall  be  measured  to  you  again.  Let  it  be 
the  controlling  object  of  our  whole  life  to  win  souls  for  God  and 
for  heaven.  It  is  our  business  to  lead  sinners  to  Jesus.  I  put 
the  sinners  of  Savannah  on  notice  this  night  that  I  have  come 
for  you,  I  have  come  to  lead  you  to  Jesus.  I  have  come  to  hold 
Christ  up  to  you  as  the  fairest  among  ten  thousands  and  alto- 
gether lovely.  I  have  come  to  hold  up  Jesus  Christ  to  you  as 
the  only  name  given  under  heaven  whereby  you  might  be 
saved.  I  have  come  to  beg  you  in  Christ's  stead  to  be  recon- 
ciled to  God.  I  have  come  to  beg  you  to  make  friends  with 
God.  I  have  come  to  be  your  friend  and  to  teach  you  to  love 
him  who  first  loved  you  and  gave  himself  for  you.  I  have 
come  to  invite  you  down  in  Jordan  to  be  cleansed  of  the  lep- 
rosy. I  have  come  to  beg  you  to  get  ready  to  die.  You  are 
swiftly  passing  away  to  the  great  judgment  day,  and  I  have 
come  in  the  name  of  my  Master  to  beg  you  to  make  some  ar- 
rangement for  your  soul.  Oh !  I  beg  you  in  the  name  of  high 
heaven  to-night  to  commence  even  now,  to  make  some  ar- 
rangement for    that  precious    soul  that    must    always  live  in 


African  Baptist   Church.  Ill 

heaven  or  bell.  Dear  brethren,  is  this  the  intent  for  which  ye 
have  sent  for  me  ?  Then  do  help  me  to  preach  this  word ;  help 
me  to  show  the  sinners  of  Savannah  the  beauties  that  are  in 
Jesus  Christ.  God  help  us  do  this  in  order  that  our  garments 
might  be  clear  of  their  blood.  It  is  all  of  our  business  to  see  to 
it  that  sinners  are  properly  informed  of  Christ.  Let  us  speak 
well  of  Jesus.  I  have  come  to  Savannah  to  speak  well  of  the 
plan  of  redemption  and  of  Jesus,  its  author.  I  have  come 
among  you  as  the  friend  of  education,  the  advocate  of  economy 
and  industry,  as  a  worker  in  the  Sunday  schools,  a  promoter  of 
peace,  a  law-abiding  citizen,  and  the  untiring  and  uncompro- 
mising enemy  to  whiskey.  I  want  to  be  understood  to-night  as 
being  the  terror  of  whiskey  and  its  votaries,  so  far  as  my  power 
goes.  I  shall  speak,  write,  preach,  fight,  work,  pray  and  vote 
against  it  at  every  opportunity  that  may  be  afforded  me  through 
the  entire  journey  of  my  life.  Dear  brethren,  is  this  the  intent 
for  which  ye  have  sent  for  me?  Then  can  I  depend  upon  you 
to  support  and  help  me  do  my  work?  The  christian's  life 
should  be  so  sublime ;  his  life  should  be  a  living  reality  of  the 
joy  and  blessedness  of  the  life  beyond ;  he  should  live  so  that 
he  might  be  able  to  say,  I  know  upon  whom  I  have  believed ;  I 
know  that  my  Redeemer  lives.  'O,  what  a  blessed  hope  is  ours 
while  here  on  earth  we  stay. '  Let  us  live  and  work  as  become 
children  of  the  light  and  our  death  will  be  as  sweet  as  it  will 
be  sublime,  and  heaven  will  be  our  eternal  home.  Let  us  cov- 
enant to  walk  together  in  Christ  from  this  very  night.  As  we 
walk  together  here  we  shall  live  together  over  the  river  upon 
the  shining  shores  of  that  blessed  country  whose  builder  and 
maker  is  God,  where  pastor  and  people  shall  be  gathered  with 
everlasting  joy  and  singing ;  where  death  never  comes ;  where 
victors  are  crowned  with  Eden's  wreath ;  where  they  shall  sor- 
row no  more ;  die  no  more ;  cry  no  more ;  thirst  no  more  and 
hunger  no  more,  for  the  lamb  upon  the  throne  shall  feed  them. 
For  this  let  us  labor,  watch,  pray  and  wait  till  Jesus  comes  and 
we  will  be  gathered  home.  God  help  us  for  Jesus'  sake.  Amen."' 

Very  soon  after  Mr.  Love  took  charge  of  the  church  he/ound 
it  necessary  to  preach  upon  going  to  law,  this  being  prevalent : 

GOIXG   TO   LAW. 

"I.  Cor.,  vi,  1:  'Dare  any  of  you,  haviug  a  matter  against 
another,  go  to  law  before  the  unjust  and  not  before  the  saints?' 
I  am  not  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  I  have  a  delicate  and  diffi- 
cult subject  to  handle  to-night  about  which  much  has  been  said, 


112  History  of  the  First 


written  and  thought.  If  I  should  carelessly  speak  to-night  un- 
told harm  might  be  the  result,  which  would  be  just  the  opposite 
to  what  I  aim  at  and  wish  so  much  to  accomplish.  I  am  also 
aware  that  this  subject  is  as  a  two-edged  sword,  capable  of  cut- 
ting both  ways. 

"  Believing  it  better  to  let  two  guilty  men  escape  justice  than 
to  punish  one  innocent  man,  I  proceed  to  discuss  this  subject 
to-night  in  the  fear  of  heaven,  relying  upon  the  guidance  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  assist  me  in  so  fearful  an  undertaking.  I  am 
outgrowing  the  idea  that  the  truth  should  be  kept  from  the 
people  for  fear  that  they  will  abuse  it.  I  think  the  better  way 
would  be  to  have  the  whole  truth  and  let  the  results  be  what 
they  will.  The  common  interpretation  of  this  scripture  will 
tend  to  make  religion  objectionable  and  church  membership  an 
unreasonable  burden.  The  religion  of  Christ  is  based  upon 
common-sense  reasoning.  We  have  hold  of  the  chain  of  reason, 
the  opposite  end  of  which  is  centered  in  the  eternal  bosom  of 
God.  Eeligion  requires  us  to  live  a  common  sense,  practical 
life.  Our  Saviour  rebuked  the  Pharisees  for  misinterpreting 
the  law  and  binding  heavy  burdens,  and  grievous  to  be  borne, 
upon  the  people.  Religion  requires  us  to  adopt  a  common 
course  of  justice  with  our  fellow-men.  There  is  as  much  logic 
in  the  idea  of  keeping  the  whole  truth  from  the  people  for  fear 
they  will  abuse  it  as  there  would  be  in  the  idea  of  keeping  free- 
dom from  a  people  for  fear  they  would  abuse  it.  The  better 
way  would  be  to  let  the  people  have  freedom,  which  is  right, 
and  then  teach  them  the  proper  way  to  enjoy  it.  There  is  no 
privilege  but  that  it  has  and  can  be  abused.  The  principle  is 
right,  nevertheless.  Water  and  food  have  made  persons  sick, 
yet  it  is  not  denied  that  they  are  good  to  take  in.  Some  per- 
sons marry  and  do  not  get  on  well  together,  yet  it  is  admitted 
that  marrying  is  right.  One  man  quits  a  woman  upon  the 
ground  that  he  can  not  live  with  her,  and  yet  another  man  mar- 
ries her  and  lives  happily  with  her. 

"  It  must  be  admitted  also  that  there  are  exceptions  to  all 
general  rules.  It  is  so  in  the  Bible  as  well  as  in  other  books. 
God  has  shown  this  in  his  dealing  with  the  children  of  men. 
Hence  the  origin  of  miracles.  The  rule  for  entering  heaven  is 
marked  through  repentance  toward  God  and  faith  in  His  son,  yet 
none  of  us  doubt  the  salvation  of  infants,  who  can  not  do  either. 
The  rule  is  that  a  star  does  not  stop,  and  yet  one  stood  over  the 
manger  where  the  young  child  was.  It  is  the  rule  that  fire  will 
burn,  yet  the  Hebrew  children  went  through  the  fieiy  furnace 
without  the  smell  of  fire  upon  their  clothes.  It  is  a  rule  that 
men  die,  yet  Enoch  and  Elijah  were  translated.     It  is  a  rule 


African  Baptist  Church.  113 


that  iron  sinks,  yet  the  prophet  caused  it  to  swim.  In  this 
light  we  must  view  many  scriptural  precepts.  It  was  not  law- 
ful for  the  disciples  to  enter  the  corn  field  and  eat  on  the  Sab- 
bath, yet  Christ  defended  them,  and  said  he  was  Lord  even  of 
the  Sabbath.  With  the  foregoing  remarks  we  can  more  practi- 
cally discuss  this  much  disputed  subject. 

I. — IS  IT  EIGHT  TO  GO  TO  LAW  WITH  A  BROTHER? 

"We  would  say  that  it  depends  largely  upon  the  character 
and  nature  of  the  subject  in  dispute.  As  a  rule  it  is  not  right 
to  go  to  law.  If  every  body  would  do  right  we  would  have  but 
little,  if  any,  use  for  the  courts.  But  from  the  fact  that  we  are 
not  predisposed  to  do  unto  all  men  as  we  would  that  they  do 
unto  us,  God  has  appointed  judges.  The  judges  that  sat  in  the 
gates  of  the  city  were  to  discern  between  the  people.  It  is  not 
good  for  church  members  to  be  contentious,  because  it  does  not 
reflect  favorably  upon  Christianity.  It  would  not  reflect  credit- 
ably upon  members  of  the  same  family  to  be  contending  in  the 
courts  with  each  other.  If  brother  goes  to  law  with  brother, 
where  is  the  evidence  that  the  grace  of  God  is  sufficient  for  all 
things,  and  that  we  love  each  other  and  are  made  perfect  in 
one?  As  a  rule  the  saints  should  judge  points  of  difference 
between  saints.  As  they  shall  take  part  in  judging  the  world 
they  might  be  intrusted  with  the  matter  of  deciding  points  of 
difference  between  brethren  with  whom  they  shall  be  associated 
in  deciding  the  destiny  of  the  world,  for  the  apostle  says : 

"I.  Cor.,  vi,  2,  3:  'Do  ye  not  know  that  the  saints  shall  judge 
the  world?  And  if  the  world  shall  be  judged  by  you,  are  ye 
unworthy  to  judge  the  smallest  matters?  Know  ye  not  that  we 
shall  judge  angels?  How  much  more  things  that  pertain  to 
this  life?' 

"This  instruction  is  evidently  for  personal  differences.  In 
cases  of  personal  misunderstandings  the  church  should  inter- 
pose, and  only  the  church.  If  a  member  is  personally  injured 
or  aggrieved,  he  should,  after  proper  gospel  steps,  tell  it  to  the 
church.  This  principle  is  laid  down  by  our  Saviour  iii  Mat- 
thew, xviii,  15-18:  'Moreover,  if  thy  brother  shall  trespass 
against  thee  go  and  tell  him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him 
alone :  if  he  shall  hear  thee,  thou  hast  gained  thy  brother.  But 
if  he  will  not  hear  thee,  then  take  with  thee  one  or  two  more, 
that  in  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  every  word  may  be 
established.  And  if  he  shall  neglect  to  hear  them,  tell  it  unto 
the  church :  but  if  he  neglect  to  hear  the  church,  let  him  be 
unto  thee  as  an  heathen  man  and  a  publican.' 


HJf.  History  of  the  First 


"  In  Leviticus,  xix,  17, 18,  we  read :  '  Thou  shalt  not  hate  thy 
brother  in  thine  heart:  thou  shalt  in  anywise  rebuke  thy 
neighbor,  and  not  suffer  sin  upon  him.  Thou  shalt  not  avenge 
nor  bear  any  grudge  against  the  children  of  thy  people,  but 
thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself:  I  am  the  Lord.' 

"As  the  Israelites  were  just  emancipated  from  Egyptian 
bondage,  and  were  freemen  going  to  live  together  in  a  free 
country,  it  was  necessary  that  they  should  know  their  obliga- 
tion to  each  other  as  the  chosen  of  the  Lord  and  as  fellow- 
citizens.  We  read  again  in  Luke  xvii,  3,  4:  'Take  heed  to 
yourselves :  if  thy  brother  trespass  against  thee,  rebuke  him ; 
and  if  he  repent,  forgive  him.  And  if  he  trespass  against  thee 
seven  times  in  a  day,  and  seven  times  in  a  day  turn  again  to 
thee,  saying,  I  repent,  thou  shalt  forgive  him.'  These  passages 
point  out  clearly  the  course  to  pursue  in  general  matters.  Re- 
specting personal  offenses,  I  wrote  Dr.  J.  E.  L.  Holmes,  of  this 
city,  asking  him  if  a  man  who  is  a  member  of  the  church 
should  assault  your  wife  or  daughter  could  you  take  such  a 
a  case  to  law?    This  is  his  reply : 

'"January,  11,  1886. 
"  'I  should  find  it  difficult  to  decide.  The  circumstances  un- 
der which  the  assault  was  made  would  have  much  to  do  with 
the  right  or  wrong.  Might  there  not  be  reparation,  apology? 
Ordinarily  personal  difficulties  are  better  settled  privately,  and 
if  carried  into  court  give  a  notoriety  to  all  concerned  which  is 
not  in  the  interest  of  good  order  or  wholesome  influence.  I 
rather  think  the  apostle  would  have  discouraged  going  into 
court  in  this  case.' 

"  It  seems  that  the  christians  at  Corinth  habitually  went 
before  the  heathen  courts  for  every  trifle  about  which  they 
disagreed.  The  apostle  is  rebuking  them  for  this,  and  gives 
them  to  know  that  this  course  is  wholly  repugnant  to  the  genius 
of  Christianity,  and  that  by  it  they  could  not  hope  to  impress  the 
heathens  with  the  loving  influence  of  the  christian  religion  and 
thus  win  them  to  Christ.  A  contentious  spirit  is  at  variance 
with  the  spirit  of  religion  and  does  not  add  a  salutary  influence 
to  tire  church  of  Christ.  Matthew  Henry  says  on  this  subject: 
'Here  the  apostle  reproves  them  for  going  to  law  with  one 
another  before  the  heathen  judges  for  little  matters,  and  therein 
blames  all  vexatious  law  suits.  In  the  previous  chapter  he  had 
directed  them  to  punish  heinous  sins  among  themselves  by 
church  censures.  Here  he  directs  them  to  determine  contro- 
versies with  one  another  by  church  counsel  and  advice,  concern- 
ing which  observe:     1.  The  fault  he  blames  them  for,  it  was 


African  Baptist   Church.  llo 

going  to  law.  ISTot  but  that  the  law  is  good,  if  a  man  use  it 
lawfully.  But  brother  went  to  law  with  brother — one  member 
of  the  church  with  another.  The  near  relation  could  not  pre- 
serve peace  and  good  understanding.  Tbe  bonds  of  fraternal 
love  were  broken  through.  And  a  brother  offended,  as  Solomon 
says,  is  harder  to  be  won  than  a  strong  city ;  their  contentions 
are  like  the  bars  of  a  castle.  Christians  should  not  contend 
with  one  another,  for  they  are  brethren.  This  duly  attended  to 
would  prevent  law  suits  and  put  an  end  to  quarrels  and  litiga- 
tions. They  brought  the  matter  before  the  heathen  magistrates ; 
they  went  to  law  before  the  unjust,  and  not  before  the  saints ; 
brought  the  controversy  before  unbelievers  and  did  not  com- 
pose it  among  themselves,  christians  and  saints,  at  least  in  pro- 
fession. This  tended  much  to  the  reproach  of  Christianity.  It 
published  at  once  their  folly  and  unpeaceableness ;  whereas 
they  pretended  to  be  the  children  of  wisdom  and  the  followers 
of  the  Lamb,  the  meek  and  lowly  Jesus,  the  Prince  of  Peace. 
'And  therefore,'  says  the  apostle,  'dare  any  of  you,  having 
a  controversy  with  another,  go  to  law,  implead  him,  bring  the 
matter  to  a  hearing  before  the  unjust?'  Christians  should  not 
dare  to  do  anything  that  tends  to  the  reproach  of  their  christ- 
ian name  and  profession.  Here  is  at  least  an  intimation  that 
they  went  to  law  for  trivial  matters,  things  of  little  value,  for 
the  apostle  blames  them  that  they  did  not  suffer  wrong  rather 
than  go  to  law,  which  must  be  understood  of  matters  not  very 
important.  But  in  matters  of  small  consequence  it  is  better  to 
put  up  with  the  wrong.  Christians  should  be  of  a  forgiving 
temper.  And  it  is  more  to  their  ease  and  honor  to  suffer  small 
injuries  and  inconveniences  than  seem  to  be  contentious.' 

"  This  all  seems  to  be  striking  at  personal  matters — matters 
of  small  moment.  All  seem  to  admit  that  this  is  the  general 
rule — that  the  church  should  intervene  to  settle  such  matters 
between  its  members.  Any  matter  that  affects  us  as  individuals 
in  the  shape  of  individual  insults,  assaults  on  our  character  or 
person^,  may  be  adjusted  by  the  church,  and  should  by  all 
means  be  kept  out  of  the  courts.  There  is  only  an  individual 
feeling  or  grievance  at  stake.  In  this  case  the  censure  of  the 
church  is  sufficient.  Now  let  us  be  very  careful  as  we  notice 
the  exceptions  to  this  general  rule.  Let  us  pray  that  the  holy 
spirit  might  give  us  a  door  of  utterance,  and  that  he  also  might 
prevent  a  misunderstanding  of  this  scripture. 

II. — IS   THERE   NO    CIRCUMSTANCE   UNDER   WHICH  A  CHURCH   MEM- 
BER   MAY    TAKE    A    CASE    TO    LAW? 

"We  answer,  most  certainly  there  is.     To  say  there  is  not 


116  History  of  the  First 


would  be  to  niost  fearfully  pervert  the  spirit  of  the  scriptures 
and  open  a  door  to  the  dishonestly  disposed  for  the  most 
unmitigating  frauds.  Too  many  dishonest  church  members 
would  borrow  money  from  church  members  with  no  intention 
whatever  to  pay  it,  and  hide  behind  this  scripture :  '  Dare  any 
of  you,  having  a  matter  against  another,  go  to  law  before  the 
unjust  and  not  before  the  saints.'  It  must  be  considered  that 
the  christians  at  Corinth  were  living  in  a  heathen  land  and 
subject  to  heathen  magistrates.  We  do  not  live  in  heathen 
lands  and  are  not  presided  over  by  heathen  rulers.  We  are 
citizens  of  a  common  country  and  are  in  honor  bound  to  support 
the  laws  of  this  country.  Many  of  our  rulers  are  members  of 
the  christian  church,  and  many  of  their  christian  lives  are  irre- 
proachable. The  laws  of  our  country  are  based,  for  the  most 
part,  upon  the  Bible,  which  book  is  the  guide  to  the  christian 
church.  It  must  be  acknowledged,  therefore,  that  the  circum- 
stances .under  which  the  christians  at  Corinth  lived  and  the 
circumstances  under  which  we  live  are  decidedly  different,  and 
hence  the  exceptions  to  this  general  rule.  I  have  taken  pains 
to  write  some  of  the  most  learned  men  of  our  denomination  on 
this  subject;  men  whose  ability  is  not  questioned,  and  who  are 
authority  on  Baptist  usage.  I  give  you  extracts  from  their 
letters : 

"Dr.  J.  E.  L.  Holmes,  of  this  city,  writes  me: 

"  'January  11th,  1888. 
"  'Dear  Brother  Love: 

"  '  I  think  we  must  take  several  things  into  consideration  in 
interpreting  I.  Corinthians,  vi,  1 :  '  Dare  any  of  you,  having  a 
matter  against  another,  go  to  law  before  the  unjust,  and  not 
before  the  saints?'  The  point  of  the  apostle's  answer  is  found 
in  the  fact  that  they  went  'to  law  before  the  unjust,'  that  is, 
before  the  heathen  tribunals.  And  this  not  because  they  could 
not  hope  for  justice  from  heathen  rulers,  nor  because  the 
heathen  rulers  were  not  to  be  respected.  The  apostle  is  careful 
to  teach  them  to  respect  and  be  subject  to  the  authorities  that 
be.  *  See  Romans,  xiii,  1-8:  ('  Let  every  soul  be  subject  unto  the 
higher  powers.  For  there  is  no  power  but  of  God :  the  powers 
that  be  are  ordained  of  God.  Whosoever,  therefore,  resisteth 
the  power  resisteth  the  ordinance  of  God :  and  they  that  resist 
shall  receive  to  themselves  damnation.  For  rulers  are  not  a 
terror  to  good  works,  but  to  the  evil.  Wilt  thou  then  not  be 
afraid  of  the  power?  do  that  which  is  good,  and  thou  shalt  have 
praise  of  the  same:    For  he  is  the  minister  of  God  to  thee  for 


African  Baptist  Church.  117 

good.  But  if  thou  do  that  which  is  evil,  be  afraid ;  for  he  bear- 
eth  not  the  sword  in  vain:  for  he  is  the  minister  of  God,  a 
revenger  to  execute  wrath  upon  hini  that  doeth  evil.  "Where- 
fore ye  must  needs  be  subject  not  only  for  wrath,  but  also  for 
conscience  sake.  For  this  cause  pay  ye  tribute  also :  for  they 
are  God's  ministers,  attending  continually  upon  this  very  thing. 
Render,  therefore,  to  all  their  dues :  tribute  to  whom  tribute  is 
due ;  custom  to  whom  custom ;  fear  to  whom  fear ;  honor  to 
whom  honor.  Owe  no  man  anything,  but  to  love  one  another: 
for  he  that  loveth  another  hath  fulfilled  the  law.')  Titus,  hi,  1 : 
('Put  them  in  mind  to  be  subject  to  principalities  and  powers, 
to  obey  magistrates,  to  be  ready  to  every  good  work.')  But  he 
saw  that  the  effect  of  such  litigation  would  be  unfavorable  to 
Christianity.  The  Jews  were  known  to  be  a  contentious  people. 
They  (christians)  must  so  act  as  to  prevent  creating  such 
impression  about  the  christians,  most  of  whom,  at  least  at  first, 
were  Jews.  Besides  it  was  a  sorry  sight  that  these  christians, 
who  were  called  of  God  and  the  heirs  of  heaven,  should  be 
going  to  these  less  favored  to  decide  questions  which  they  could 
so  easily  decide.  I  think  we  get  the  impression  in  reading  the 
context,  and  especially  the  seventh  verse,  that  the  matters  in 
dispute  were  of  little  consequence,  involving  no  principle,  and 
likely  to  produce  no  great  injury  one  way  or  another.  Notice, 
then,  first,  that  we  are  not  situated  just  as  they  were.  Our 
judges  and  rulers  are  not  heathen,  but  often  our  own  brethren ; 
our  laws  are  based  for  the  most  part  upon  the  principle  taught 
in  the  New  Testament.  There  is,  then,  no  such  scandal  in 
going  into  court  as  there  was  in  the  days  of  the  christians  of 
Corinth.  But  it  may  be  wrong,  nevertheless,  to  go  to  law,  if  by 
going  to  law  we  make  it  apparent  to  the  world  that  while  pro- 
fessing to  be  christians  we  have  not  the  spirit  of  Christ,  or 
worse  still,  if  the  world  (as  represented  in  civil  government) 
should  be  led  to  think  that  the  spirit  of  contentiousness  was 
the  spirit  of  Christ.  Better  suffer  some  injustice  than  do  the 
cause  an  injury  by  furnishing  cavilers  occasion  for  talk.  Breth- 
ren should  settle  their  difficulties  by  appeals  to  brethren,  and 
with  the  advice  and  assistance  of  brethren.  Romans  xii,  18 : 
'  If  it  be  possible,  as  much  as  lieth  in  you,  live  peaceably  with 
all  men,'  is  a  fine  illustration  of  the  apostle's  way  of  setting 
forth  a  great  principle,  with  the  limitation  which  our  weakness 
makes  necessary.  If  it  be  possible,  that  reminds  us  that  there 
are  exceptions  to  the  rule.  And  now  having  noticed  the  prin- 
ciple, let  us  notice  the  exception.  Are  there  not  matters  of 
difference  which  the  church  cannot  decide?  Ought  not  the 
church  to  relieve  a  brother  of  embarrassment  in  this  regard 


IIS  History  of  the  First 


(sometimes  by  putting  an  unworthy  brother  out  of  its  pale)  ? 
Is  a  brother  to  suffer  the  loss  of  property,  or  to  be  otherwise 
injured  in  his  person  or  family,  because  some  one  claiming  to 
be  a  brother  is  presuming  upon  his  connection  with  the  church , 
while  the  first  brother  has  no  redress?  To  ask  these  questions 
is  to  answer  them.  A  man  who  is  capable  of  a  great  wrong 
has  no  claim  to  a  brother's  privileges,  and  the  one  who  has  been 
thus  grievously  wronged  is  under  no  law  to  treat  him  as  such. 
Matthew,  xviii,  17,  might  apply  in  such  a  case.  It  is  the  duty 
of  the  church  in  such  a  case  to  relieve  itself  of  the  odium 
attaching  to  a  life  so  wholly  at  variance  with  the  teaching  of 
Christ.  In  the  case  you  suppose,  I  should  say  that  the  banker 
might,  without  violating  the  spirit  of  the  scripture,  go  to  law.' 
[This  was  in  answer  to  the  question  whether  a  banker  could 
by  law  recover  his  money  or  not.] 

"'The  last  case  seems  to  me  clear,  if  arbitration  has  first 
been  tried.  And  the  right  to  property  may  depend  upon  a  legal 
technicality.  In  the  first  and  last  cases  it  is  true  there  is  a 
matter  of  personal  feeling,  but  of  right  under  the  law.  Can  a 
member  of  the  church  go  to  law  under  any  circumstances  ?  I 
should  greatly  regret  having  to  go  into  court,  but  I  should  most 
certainly  do  so  before  I  would  allow  the  support  of  my  family 
to  be  taken  from  them ;  before  I  should  allow  myself  to  suffer 
any  great  injury.  Paul  did  not  hesitate  to  appeal  to  Csesar 
when  he  saw  that  in  this  way  alone  could  he  have  his  rights 
and  secure  a  fair  trial.  When  the  cause  is  manifestly  just, 
when  a  principle  is  involved  of  real  moment,  and  the  rights 
such  as  depend  upon  the  existence  of  government,  I  believe  we 
may  rightly  make  exceptions  to  what  ought  to  be  the  rule.  If 
all  brethren  were  as  they  should  be,  of  course  secular  courts 
would  not  be  needed  for  Christianity,  but  this  is  not  an  ideal 
state,  and  the  Bible  recognizes  the  fact.' 

"As  to  going  to  law,  Dr.  Mell  writes,  January  11,  1886: 

"'Bev.  E.  K.  Love: 

"'Dear  Brother — Can  one  church  member  sue  another  at. 
law  ?  This  is  one  of  those  questions  on  which  there  will  always 
be  an  honest  difference  of  opinion ;  for,  1st,  courts  in  this  coun- 
try cannot  be  characterized  as  essentially  and  by  their  own 
constitutions  and  materials  'unjust'  and  unbelievers.  They 
are  partly  based  on  the  christian  religion.  The  Bible  is  used 
in  its  administrations,  and  often  large  portions  of  its  individual 
members  are  exemplary  christians. 

"  '  2d.  There  are  many  legal  questions  that  honestly  spring  up 
between  brethren  that  none  are  competent  to  decide  except 


African  Bajrtist  Church.  119 

those  learned  in  the  law.  Very  few,  if  any,  of  our  churches  are 
competent  to  adjudicate  such  questions.  It  would  seem  then 
that,  with  or  without  first  obtaining  the  consent  of  the  church, 
brethren  may  amicably  and  candidly  submit  such  cases  for  the 
arbitration  of  the  courts  without  violating  the  principles  of  the 
gospel  law — especially  if  they  would  refrain  from  the  use  of 
strategy  so  often  employed  by  counsel.  Sometimes  delay,  caused 
by  the  slow  intervention  of  the  church,  affords  opportunity  to  a 
dishonest  church  member  to  make  away  with  his  property  to 
the  great  injury  of  the  one  who  has  a  just  claim  against  him. 
I  see  not  why  there  should  be  any  hesitation  in  invoking  the 
courts  in  the  two  cases  you  refer  to,  since  no  church  could  con- 
sistently hesitate  to  expel  the  parties  at  the  first  opportunity.' 

"  AVe  call  next  on  the  stand  that  distinguished  theologian  and 
scholar  of  the  first  order.  Rev.  Dr.  J.  M.  Pendleton.  He  writes 
from  Bowling  Green,  Ky.: 

'•'January  13.  1886. 
"  'Brother  Love: 

"  'I  do  not  understand  I.  Cor.,  vi,  1,  as  forbidding  christians 
in  any  circumstances  to  go  to  law  with  another.  There  may  be 
cases  in  which  it  is  necessary  to  bring  suit  with  a  view  to  settle 
points  that  can  not  otherwise  be  settled,  deciding,  for  example, 
land  titles,  etc.  Such  suits  may  be  brought  in  a  friendly  man- 
ner. I  give  this  illustration  to  show  that  it  is  not  wrong,  in  all 
circumstances,  for  brethren  to  go  to  law.' 

"In  answer  to  a  question  that  I  put  to  him,  that  if  a  man 
borrows  money  at  the  bank  and  gave  property  as  collateral,  and 
refused  to  pay  the  bill,  could  the  banker  sue  for  his  money — 
presuming  that  both  are  members  of  the  church '?    He  answers : 

"'If  there  is  proof  of  dishonesty  in  the  borrower,  then  he 
should  be  excluded  from  the  church  and  be  no  longer  regarded 
as  a  brother.  When  this  is  done,  there  is  nothing  in  the  way 
of  bringing  suit. 

"'Your  second  question  refers  to  an  assault  on  some  one's 
wife  or  daughter  by  a  church  member.  You  ask  if  in  such  a 
case  may  there  be  a  resort  to  law.  I  answer,  Yes ;  but  the 
first  thing  is  for  the  church  to  exclude  the  member.  In  case  of 
scandalous  crimes,  no  church  trial  is  called  for.  The  exclusion 
should  be  prompt,  as  you  may  see  from  I.  Cor.,  v.  After  the 
exclusion  there  may  be  an  appeal  to  law;  but  in  many  cases 
it  is  better  not  to  have  such  a  matter  ventilated  in  the  courts. 
The  course  to  be  taken  should  be  determined  by  the  circum- 
stances in  each  case.' 


120  History  of  the  First 


"As  to  a  dispute  about  property,  he  says: 

"'I  do  not  see  how  the  matter  can  be  settled  out  of  court; 
but  there  should  be  no  unfriendly  feeling,  only  a  simple  desire 
for  justice  to  be  done.' 

"  We  once  more  quote  the  distinguished  commentator  Matthew 
Henry : 

"  'In  matters  of  great  damage  to  ourselves  and  families  we 
may  use  lawful  means  to  right  ourselves.  We  are  not  bound  to 
sit  down  and  suffer  the  injury  tamely,  without  striving  for  our 
own  relief.' 

"  We  would  still  put  up  another  important  witness.  He  is  the 
first  preacher  I  ever  heard  of  in  my  life.  He  baptized  my 
mother  and  father  and  most  of  my  relatives.  He  seems  as  a 
grandfather  to  me.  He  is  a  ripe  scholar  and  a  safe  theologian. 
That  beloved,  distinguished  man  is  Dr.  J.  H.  DeYotie.  He 
writes  me  from  Griffin,  Ga.,  January  15th,  1886 : 

"  '■Dear  Brother: 

•"In  the  simplest  form  I  answer  your  questions  in  your  note 
of  January  5th,  1886.  The  6th  of  I.  Cor.,  i,  5,  does  not  forbid 
under  all  circumstances  members  of  the  church  from  settling  their 
differences  by  an  appeal  to  the  laws  of  the  country. 

"'  Question  A. — I  answer  yes,  he  ought  to  be  made  to  pay  it. 
They  have  made  it  a  transaction  governed  by  law.  They  have 
made  legal  papers,  and  there  is  a  legal  tribunal.  The  church 
should  exclude  the  man  who  will  not  meet  his  honest  engage- 
ments, and  who  will  not  listen  to  the  committee  of  the  church 
who  deal  with  him  according  to  the  scriptural  rule.  He  should 
be  to  the  church  'as  a  heathen  man  and  a  publican,'  and  be 
dealt  with  according  to  the  laws  of  the  heathen  and  the  publi- 
can. 

Ul  Question  B. — I  do  not  know  what  you  mean  by  wife  or 
daughter  being  assaulted  by  a  member  of  the  church.  If  you 
mean  an  attempt  to  commit  rape,  or  something  kindred  to  that, 
why  certainly  he  ought  to  be  indicted  and  punished  according 
to  law. 

Ul  Question  C. — The  two  members  of  a  church  who  hold,  each 
of  them,  a  deed  to  the  same  piece  of  land  must  settle  it  by  law. 
The  law  creates  the  title.  I  cannot  conceive  of  two  good  deeds 
to  the  same  piece  of  ground.  There  must  be  a  legal  and  an 
illegal  deed.  The  law  alone  can  decide.  Brethren  may  inter- 
pose, but  they  can  never  say  justly  that  the  illegal  deed  must 
hold  the  land.' 


African  Baptist  Church.  121 

"And  last,  but  not  least,  we  call  to  the  stand  a  scholar  and 
safe  theologian,  and  successful  and  experienced  pastor.  He  is 
my  father  in  the  gospel ;  by  him  I  was  baptized,  and  from  him 
I  received  my  first  impressions  of  gospel  truth.  That  dear  man 
is  Rev.  W.  H.  Mcintosh,  D.  D.  He  writes  me  from  Cedartown, 
Ga.,  Jan.  21,  1886 : 

"  '•Dear  Brother  Love: 

"'I  can  only  give  the  scriptural  law  applicable  to  the  case. 
I.  Cor.,  vi,  1,  forbids  brother  to  go  to  law  with  brother.  I  know 
of  no  exception  in  the  New  Testament.  This  law  is  not  de- 
signed to  screen  one  member  of  the  church  from  paying  an  hon- 
est debt  to  another  member.  If  it  is  evident  that  he  is  seeking 
to  defraud  his  brother  of  a  just  claim,  the  church  should  arraign 
him  for  dishonesty,  and  when  they  have  excluded  him  then  the 
aggrieved  brother  can  appeal  to  the  courts  for  redress;  the 
offender  is  to  him  'as  a  heathen  man  and  a  publican." — Matt., 
xviii,  17.  Such  cases  are  apt  to  be  complicated  and  to  prove 
troublesome  to  the  church,  and  it  is  sometimes  wise  to  get  the 
parties  (creditor  and  debtor)  to  submit  the  matter  to  arbitra- 
tion before  it  comes  before  the  church.  You  see  the  danger  is 
that  the  friends  of  each  party  may  take  sides  with  their  favorite, 
and  parties  be  raised  in  the  church  that  may  be  perpetuated  for 
years  and  for  evil.  The  same  principles  apply  to  the  case  of 
two  members  each  holding  a  deed  to  the  same  property.  In 
the  case  of  assault  by  a  member  of  the  church  upon  the  person 
of  the  wife  or  daughter  of  another  member,  if  you  mean  an 
attempt  upon  her  virtue,  the  offender  should  be  arraigned  be- 
fore the  church  and,  if  convicted  and  excluded,  as  he  should  be 
if  guilty,  the  husband  or  father  can  and  ought  to  prosecute 
him.' 

"It  is  remarkable  that  all  of  these  divines  agree  in  substance 
upon  this  scripture.  They  are  not  biased,  as  they  knew  not 
what  I  wanted  to  teach.  They  gave  honest  statements.  In 
the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  every  word  shall  be  estab- 
lished. They  do  not  give  it  as  a  result  of  consultation  with 
each  other ;  every  one  wrote  from  a  different  place  and  from 
his  standpoint,  without  knowing  that  anybody  else  had  been 
consulted. 

"  This  subject  has  caused  a  great  deal  of  trouble  in  the  church 
of  Christ.  Many  unworthy  persons  have  taken  advantage  of 
this  scripture,  which  the  church  is  endeavoring  to  honestly 
obey,  to  be  dishonest  and  perpetrate  the  most  glaring  frauds 
upon  each  other.  For  a  church  to  insist  that  a  member  can, 
under  no  circumstances,  go  to  law,  is  to  license  men  to  commit 


122  History  of  the  First 


the  most  terrible  crimes,  the  atrocity  of  which  common  sense 
and  civilization  will  scorn.  If  the  church  continues  at  this,  the 
young  element  will  revolt  and  leave  the  church  of  their  fathers. 
If  men  honestly  owe  debts,  and  have  property  out  of  which 
those  debts  can  be  paid,  it  is  common  justice  that  they  pay 
them.  If  they  will  not  pay  those  debts,  the  church  should  be 
no  screen  to  protect  dishonesty,  and  the  courts  should  inter- 
pose to  defend  the  rights  of  a  citizen.  If  a  man  can  pay  a  debt 
and  will  not  pay  it,  and  as  the  church  cannot  make  him  pay  it, 
the  courts  should  be  invoked.  There  are  numbers  of  church 
members  sitting  down  in  the  church  who  owe  debts,  and  upon  the 
presumption  that  you  dare  not  go  to  law,  wilfully  refuse  to  pay 
them.  What  is  the  remedy?  Let  the  member  so  suffering  report 
the  case  to  the  officer  whose  duty  it  will  be  to  labor  with  the  debt- 
ors, and  if  they  still  refuse  to  pay,  let  the  officers  tell  it  to  the 
church,  and  if  they  still  refuse,  let  the  church  expel  them,  and 
then  the  suffering  member  can  take  legal  steps  to  recover  his 
money.  This  should  only  be  done  when  everything  else  has 
failed.  No  church  can  consistently  keep  in  its  fellowship  a  dis- 
honest member,  and  no  person  is  honest  who  can  pay  a  debt 
and  will  not  do  it.  AVe  are  not  bound  to  respect  dishonest 
persons. 

APPLICATION. 

"I  have  known  judges  and  lawyers  and  jurors  in  our  courts 
to  be  preachers  of  the  gospel.  Would  we  call  a  court  of  that 
make-up  'heathen,'  'unjust'  and  'unbelievers?'  There  is  per- 
haps, in  many  instances,  as  much  honesty  and  justice  in  the 
decisions  of  the  courts  as  in  those  of  the  churches.  As  a  rule, 
homestead  is  dishonest  and  a  screen  from  justice.  Our  prop- 
erty ought  to  be  subject  to  our  debts.  The  church  very  often 
makes  sad  mistakes  in  its  dealings  with  its  members.  This  is 
because  she  is  not  infallible.  The  sweet  thought  is  that  we 
will  get  home  by  and  by,  where  mistakes  will  be  impossible. 
There  will  be  no  conferences  nor  arbitration  of  the  courts.  Jesus 
Christ  will  hug  us  to  his  holy  bosom  and  our  joy  will  be  as  pleas- 
ing as  it  will  be  eternal.  Then  shall  we  know  as  we  are  known, 
and  having  everything  in  common,  we  shall  join  the  countless 
number  of  harpers  harping  with  harps,  and  throughout  the 
countless  ages  of  eternity  we  shall  bathe  our  weary  souls  in 
seas  of  heavenly  rest,  and  not  a  wave  of  trouble  roll  across  our 
peaceful  breast.  Then,  as  we  stand  upon  the  sea  of  glass  min- 
gled with  fire  we  shall  make  heaven's  arches  ring  as  the  flight- 
less ages  of  eternity  roll.     God  help  us.     Amen." 


African  Baptist   Church.  123 

Shortly  after  tbe  delivery  of  this  effectual  discourse  Rev. 
Love  delivered  the  following  discourse  to  a  densely-packed 
house.  The  congregation  was  intensely  interested,  and  it  is 
confidently  believed  that  great  good  followed  from  this  dis- 
course. During  its  delivery  Rev.  Mr.  Love  held  his  hearers 
spell-bound.  The  fact  that  so  many  members  of  the  church  and 
citizens  generally  felt  that  they  could  break  the  nuptial  tie  at 
will,  and  since  they  obtained  a  divorce  from  the  courts  that  all 
was  well,  Mr.  Love  felt  called  upon  to  raise  his  voice  against 
it.  After  the  delivery  of  this  sermon  the  church  took  a  strong 
stand  against  unscriptural  divorce : 

THE  SERMON. SCRIPTURAL  DIVORCE. 

"  There  is  nothing  which  strikes  so  essentially  at  the  verj-  root 
of  society  as  the  tampering  with  the  marriage  institution.  If 
this  is  corrupt,  society  is  degraded,  happiness  is  destroyed, 
morality  is  debased,  virtue  is  gone,  civilization  is  crippled, 
Christianity  is  hindered  and  gloom  spreads  her  drapery 
over  our  land,  the  garden  spot  of  the  globe.  For  the  family 
circle  is  the  seed-bed  of  society,  the  fountain-head  of  civi- 
lization, the  birth-place  of  tranquility,  the  cradle  of  pros- 
perity, the  moulding-place  of  character,  and  the  reservoir 
from  which  streams  of  joy  or  misery  flow.  As  the  family  cir- 
cle is,  so  will  society  be.  Clandestine  marriages  and  divorces 
seem  to  be  the  special  curse  of  this  age.  It  would  seem  that 
the  further  we  get  from  the  primeval  state  of  man  the  more 
remote  are  we  removed  from  the  proper  observance  of  the  mat- 
rimonial institution.  In  Massachusetts  for  every  fourteen  mar- 
riages there  is  one  divorce.  In  proud  Maine  there  are  478  di- 
vorces a  year.  In  these  Southern  States  it  is  simply  alarming. 
In  the  ISTew  England  States  there  are  2,000  divorces  in  a  single 
year.  What  must  all  these  grass  widows  do  ?  Do  you  believe 
that  they  will  live  pure  ?  Is  not  this  an  alarming  state  of  soci- 
ety ?  Is  it  not  time  that  the  church  was  waging  war  against 
this  flood-tide  of  immorality  ?  Can  society  rest  at  ease  when  a 
restless  worm  is  eternally  gnawing  on  its  tap  root  ?  Should  not 
the  watchmen  on  the  walls  give  the  alarm  when  they  see  the 
enemy  coming  to  destroy  the  city  and  take  away  the  inhabit- 
ants captive?  How  long  will  it  be  before  we  will  reach  the 
point  when  it  will  not  be  safe  for  anybody's  daughter  to  follow 
a  man  off  if  this  thing  continues  ?  How  long  will  it  be  before 
parents  should  mourn  for  their  daughters  as  though  they  were 
dead  when  they  give  their  hand  in  marriage  to  a  man  *?  How 
long  will  it  be  before  there  will  be  more  grass  widows  than 


124-  History  of  the  First 


there  will  be  young  girls  who  have  never  been  married?  How 
long  will  it  be  before  young  men  will  be  obliged  to  pick  their 
choice  from  among  the  grass  widows  or  wait  till  some  more 
girls  grow  up  ?  How  long  will  it  be  before  the  girls  will  have 
to  inquire  after  every  young  man  who  makes  a  polite  bow,  tips 
his  hat  and  wishes  to  see  her  to  church,  '  Is  he  a  grass  wid- 
ower ?'  Considering  this  appalling  state  of  society,  we  beg  your 
prayerful  consideration  to-night  of 

SCRIPTURAL   DIVORCE. 

"  Mark,  x,  9:  'What  therefore  God  has  joined  together,  let 
not  man  put  asunder.' 

u  We  are  called  upon  to  consider  another  one  of  those  delicate 
subjects  that  gives  endless  trouble  in  the  christian  church  and 
in  all  this  land.  I  can  scarcely  hope  that  this  feeble  effort  will 
be  wide  spread  and  do  anything  like  universal  good ;  but  I 
can  and  do  hope  that  it  will  do  good  in  my  immediate  congre- 
gation. The  prevalence  of  divorce,  clandestine  marriages,  and 
separation  is  simply  alarming.  The  ignoring  of  the  sanctity  of 
the  nuptial  tie  in  this  country  is  a  great  scandal  to  civilization 
and  the  cause  of  Christianity.  The  church  should  be  aroused 
to  throw  all  of  her  influence  against  this  flood-tide  of  immorality 
and  save  this  nation  from  this  sin  and  shame.  The  marriage 
rite  is  of  God,  and  His  book  alone  is  authority  for  its  govern- 
ment. Civil  government  did  not  originate  the  matrimonial 
institution,  and  should  not  interfere  with  it  further  than  His 
law  allows.  The  Bible  is  the  foundation  of  all  just  and  wise 
laws,  and  no  courts  should  presume  to  forego  its  teachings. 
God  is  the  author  of  all  of  our  being,  and  his  laws  should  gov- 
ern us  all.  They  were  given  in  divine  wisdom,  and  we  should 
not  presume  to  improve  upon  them.  We  are  not  allowed  to 
amend  them.  They  are  as  everlasting  as  He  is  eternal.  His 
own  Son  came  to  earth  and  denied  that  he  had  a  right  to 
change  them,  but  that  he  came  to  explain  and  fulfill  them.  His 
laws  should  be  sufficient  for  his  children.  The  wisdom  of  men 
and  angels  combined  could  not  produce  such  a  book,  and  hence 
the  folly  in  trying  to  make  better  laws  than  it  contains,  or  wick- 
edness in  refusing  to  abide  its  teachings.  Marriage  is  a  religious 
rite,  and  the  Bible  is  the  book  governing  religious  rites.  What- 
ever the  courts  do  in  this  regard  that  is  not  in  accordance  with 
that  blessed  book  is  sinful  and  wrong,  and  must  work  hurt  to 
the  cause  of  morality,  Christianity  and  civilization.     They  differ 


African  Baptist   Church.  125 

only  from  heathens  in  that  they  know  better ;    and  hence  their 
wrong  is  the  more  inexcusable. 

I. — WHAT   GOD   HATH   JOINED    TOGETHER. 

"The  sacredness  of  the  matrimonial  relation  is  at  once  put 
forth  in  the  fact  that  God  joins  together.  He  who  opens  and 
no  man  can  shut,  and  shuts  and  no  one  can  open,  joins  together 
man  and  woman  as  husband  and  wife,  and  puts  His  seal  upon 
the  union  that  'no  man  put  asunder.'  The  sacredness  of 
the  relation  is  further  seen  in  that  God  made  them  at  first 
twain.  They  were  the  only  two,  and,  therefore,  must  stay 
together.  They  fell  together  and  were  driven  out  of  the  garden 
together.  There  was  no  other  woman  for  Adam  to  take  and 
Eve  could  not  get  another  husband.  It  seems  that  if  God  had 
meant  for  man  to  have  more  than  one  wife  he  would  have 
started  him  with  more  than  one.  He  said  that  man  should 
cleave  unto  his  wife  and  not  wives.  The  Bible  says  that  woman 
should  obey  her  husband,  not  husbands.  There  is  nothing  more 
wonderful  and  sacred  than  the  flowing  together  of  two  human 
lives.  Can  we  conceive  of  a  thing  more  wonderful  than  that 
a  man  who  is  born  and  reared  a  thousand  miles  from  Savan- 
nah, comes  here  on  a  visit,  gets  acquainted  with  one  of  our 
girls,  falls  in  love  with  her,  letters  begin  to  pass  between  them, 
and  by  and  by  their  lives  are  flown  into  one.  He  lives  for  her 
and  she  lives  for  him.  Their  destiny  is  one  and  their  interest 
is  common.  Their  love  is  one,  their  joy  is  the  same,  and  through 
the  vicissitudinous  cycles  of  time  they  are  to  live  as  one,  for 
better  or  for  worse.  A  union  that  is  so  sacred,  so  wonderful, 
and  so  sublime  as  this  should  not  and  can  not  be  dissolved  at  will. 

"It  is  not  strange,  therefore,  that  the  most  stringent  laws 
are  thrown  around  the  holy  rite  of  matrimony.  The  more 
sacred  a  thing  is,  the  more  rigorous  the  laws  concerning  it,  and 
the  more  severe  the  punishment  in  case  of  violation.  The 
Saviour  described  His  intimacy  with  His  church  by  the  relation 
of  husband  and  wife.  The  name  woman  means  pliant,  and 
implies  that  she  leans  upon  man.  If  man  falls  she  cannot 
stand,  and  if  she  falls  she  carries  him  with  her.  This  is  plainly 
shown  in  the  fall,  and  in  all  subsequent  history.  Though  Eve 
was  the  first  to  fall,  she  carried  Adam  with  her.  They  were 
one  in  interest  and  in  destiny,  and  the  one  could  not  stand  after 
the  other  had  fallen.  Adam's  only  excuse  to  God  for  his  sin  was, 
i  The  woman  whom  thou  gavest  to  be  with  me  she  gave  me  of 
the  tree,  and  I  did  eat.'  They  alike  were  cursed,  for  they  were 
one.  They  went  out  of  the  garden  alike  and  together.  '  Unto 
Adam  also  and  to  his  wife  did  the  Lord  God  make  coats  of 


126  History  of  the  First 


skins  and  clothed  them.  In  all  of  God's  dealings  with  the  chil- 
dren of  men  this  fact  of  the  union  of  husband  and  wife  is  recog- 
nized. The  limit  of  the  union  is  marked  by  Him.  His  limit  is 
the  only  legal  one.  There  is  nothing  on  earth  that  is  a  purer 
picture  of  heaven  than  the  family  circle.  There  is  nothing  that 
more  clearly  illustrates  the  love  of  God  for  His  church  than  the 
nuptial  tie-.  It  is  not  strange,  therefore,  that  it  is  said  that  God 
joins  them  together.  All  true  marriages  are  just  as  truly  joined 
together  by  God  as  the  church  and  His  Son  are  joined  together 
by  Him.  And  He  has  just  as  complete  control  of  the  conjugal 
relation  as  over  the  union  of  the  church  and  His  Son.  He  sus- 
tains the  same  relation  to  both :  God  over  all  and  blessed  for 
evermore.  The  woman  is  said  to  be  'the  better  half.'  See  that 
infant  boy  as  he  comes  into  the  world  unconscious  of  his  exist- 
ence, and  still  every  effort  seems  to  be  a  struggle  for  his  '  lost 
piece,' his 'better  half.'  The  girl  is  the  same.  Every  smile 
and  graceful  look  seems  to  indicate  that  she  is  in  search  of 
something  that  she  would  be  delighted  to  find.  It  is  a  husband 
with  whom  she  wishes  to  cast  her  destiny.  It  is  nature  seek- 
ing its  own.  See  them  battling  with  the  ins  and  outs  of  life 
until  they  come  to  years  when  the  dreams  of  infancy  are  o'er 
and  the  visions  of  childhood  are  ended,  and  they  refuse  longer 
to  remain  under  the  parental  roof.  There  is  something  with- 
out that  suits  them  much  better.  It  does  not  matter  what  at- 
traction the  parental  home  may  possess,  it  does  not  matter  what 
wealth  the  parents  may  have,  nor  what  may  be  the  culture  and 
refinement  the  family  home  present,  '  there  is  a  gentle  voice 
within  calls  away.'  He  goes  up  to  a  man  and  looks  him  in  the 
face  and  asks  him  for  bis  daughter  with  as  much  grace  as  a  Jew 
would  invite  you  into  his  store.  Generally  the  father  says  yes.' 
He  asked  once  himself.  How  can  he  refuse  ?  It  is  the  young 
man's  wife  that  God  has  made  for  him  and  the  father  has  been 
holding  her  in  trust  simple  until  this  young  man  comes  for  her 
and  asks  that  their  lives  be  poured  into  one.  As  a  rule,  it 
is  the  father's  duty  to  surrender  his  guardianship  just  as  com- 
pletely as  if  she  had  died. 

"  Their  lives  henceforth  is  to  be  a  life.  God  has  joined  them 
together  and  he  seals  the  union  with  heaven's  stamp  that  'no 
man  put  asunder.'  If  it  be  argued  that  all  marriages  are  not 
joined  together  by  God,  I  answer,  neither  are  all  persons'  union 
with  the  church  sanctioned  by  God,  but  they  say  so,  and  we 
take  their  word  and  receive  them,  for  by  their  word  they  shall 
be  judged.  In  the  church  we  deal  with  hypocrites  and  true 
christians  by  the  same  rule.  We  call  them  all  brethren  and 
sisters  because  we  do  not  know  any  better.     They  are  responsible 


African  Baptist   Church.  127 

to  God  for  their  internal  qualification.  ~No  mistake  is  admis- 
sible before  His  righteous  bar,  before  which  we  will  be  tried. 
God  has  made  us  intelligent  beings  capable  of  making  a  choice, 
and  he  holds  us  accountable  for  the  choice  we  do  make.  I 
believe  it  is  everybody's  duty  to  get  married.  I  believe  it  is  a 
divine  duty.  The  God  of  our  being,  who  knows  every  parti- 
cle that  goes  into  our  make  up,  said  it  was  not  good  for  man  to 
be  alone.  He  made  us  help  meets  one  for  another.  That 
woman's  life  that  cannot  pour  into  some  man's  life  is  cloddj", 
spongy  and  sticky.  Lumber  that  can  not  be  worked  is  knotty 
and  refused,  it  matters  not  how  good  it  may  look.  You  very 
often  hear  persons  say  that  the  reason  that  they  do  not  get 
married  is  that  they  can't  find  anybod}T  to  suit  them  It  is  just 
as  often  true  that  there  is  nothing  of  genuine  greatness  in  them 
to  be  suited.  The  union  of  husband  and  wife  illustrates  finely 
the  union  of  the  believer  and  Christ.  '  My  beloved  is  mine, 
and  I  am  his.'  'I  sat  down  under  his  shadow  with  great  de- 
light, and  his  fruit  is  sweet  to  my  taste.'  'His  left  hand  is 
under  my  head,  and  his  right  hand  doth  embrace  me.'  'My 
beloved  spoke,  and  said  unto  me,  rise  up,  my  love,  my  fair  one, 
and  come  away.'  '  I  am  my  beloved's  and  his  desire  is  toward 
me.'  'Set  me  as  a  seal  upon  thine  heart,  as  a  seal  upon  thine 
arm:  for  love  is  strong  as  death.'  These  quotations  are  from 
the  Song  of  Solomon,  that  all  admit  to  be  a  figure  of  Christ 
and  his  church.  If  we  are  Christ's  by  redemption  and  the  gift 
of  the  Father,  His  life  and  our  life  are  one,  and  the  life  which 
we  now  live  is  not  ours,  but  we  live  by  faith  that  is  in  Him. 
When  the  hearts  of  Christ  and  the  believers  have  been  joined 
together  by  the  Father,  then,  and  not  until  then,  can  we  see  the 
force  and  beauty  in  the  expression  of  Paul :  '  For  to  me  to  live  is 
Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain.'  We  come  now  to  consider  the  sepa- 
ration. 

II. — LET   NOT   MAN   PUT   ASUNDER. 

"  This  restraint  is  put  upon  man  individually  and  collectively. 
The  restraining  injunction  is  issued  by  the  court  of  heaven 
against  individuals,  societies,  courts  and  churches  for  anything 
other  than  God's  law  doth  allow,  and  that  thing  is  adultery  or 
fornication.  If  we  would  come  back  to  the  old  landmark  the 
marriage  institution  would  be  purer,  social  order  would  be  more 
sacred,  and  human  happiness  would  be  sublimer  and  the  stand- 
ard of  morality  would  be  raised  higher.  If  our  courts  would 
conform  to  the  divine  law  in  divorce  cases  they  would  do  last- 
ing good  to  the  cause  of  civilization  and  promote  the  cause  of 


128  History  of  the  First 


Christianity.  The  courts  have  established  the  following  legal 
grounds  for  a  divorce : 

"I.  Inter-marriage. — That  is  where  a  man  marries  too  near  a 
relative — a  half-sister,  cousin,  etc.  Such  a  marriage  the  courts 
would  declare  null  and  void. 

"II.  Mental  Incapacity — Non  compos  mentis. — That  is  a  per- 
son who  is  so  crazed  as  to  be  unfit  to  discharge  the  marriage 
duties.  In  this  case  the  courts  would  declare  the  nuptial  rela- 
tion invalid  and  would  grant  a  divorce  to  the  plaintiff,  putting 
them  asunder. 

"  Im potency. — That  is  weakness,  whether  of  mind  or  body ; 
some  disease  of  body  or  mind  that  makes  a  person  incompetent 
to  do  the  duties  of  a  married  life,  or  too  disagreeable  to  live 
with.  This  the  courts  would  declare  sufficient  grounds  for 
divorce  and  the  contracting  parties  would  be  set  at  liberty. 

"IV.  Forced  Marriage. — That  is  where  a  person  is  forced  to 
marry  by  others,  by  outside  influence  or  for  fear  of  losing  life. 
The  courts  would  say  that  the  parties  did  not  contract  and 
hence  the  marriage  is  illegal.  The  parties  would  be  declared 
free. 

"V.  Pregnane}'  of  the  wife  before  marriage  unknown  to  the 
husband  at  the  time  of  marriage. — This  is  tantamount  to 
adultery  after  marriage.  This,  the  courts  would  decide  a  legal 
cause  for  divorce,  and  hence  it  would  be  granted  and  the 
parties  set  free.  But  if  the  man  knew  it  when  he  made  the 
contract,  he  would  be  held  responsible  and  not  be  allowed  a 
divorce. 

"VI.  Simple  adultery  is  a  legal  ground  for  divorce  by  the 
courts. — Upon  this  the  laws  of  God  and  of  man  are  agreed. 

"VII.  Willful  and  continued  desertion  of  either  contracting 
party  for  three  years. — The  courts  would  decide  the  marriage 
vow  broken  and,  therefore,  the  contract  a  nullity,  and  grant  a 
permanent  divorce,  freeing  the  parties. 

"VIII.  Conviction  of  either  party  of  crime  involving  moral 
turpitude  and  sentenced  for  two  years  in  the  penitentiary. — This 
the  courts  would  deem  a  sufficient  cause  for  divorce.  Then, 
again,  the  courts  have  what  they  term  discretionary  grounds  for 
divorce.  Under  this  head  is  cruel  treatment  and  habitual  intoxi- 
cation. For  these  the  courts  leave  themselves  free  to  grant  or 
refuse  as  they  may  see  fit.  Now  have  not  they  plausible  grounds 
to  set  at  naught  the  law  of  God?  What  can  look  more  abom- 
inable than  an  earthly  court  sitting  in  judgment  upon  the  court 
of  heaven,  reviewing  its  decisions,  reversing  and  setting  at 
naught  its  judgment,  the  lower  court  reviewing  the  higher 
court,  men  correcting  God?     The   Supreme   Law  Giver    has 


African  Baptist   Church.  129 


allowed  but  two  things  to  put  asunder  what  He  has  joined 
together — they  are  adultery  and  fornication.  The  one  is 
unforeseen  by  the  contracting  parties,  the  other  can't  be 
helped.  Jesus  has  said  that  if  a  man  puts  away  his  wife 
for  any  other  cause  except  adultery  or  fornication  causes  her  to 
commit  adultery,  and  he  that  marries  her  that  is  put  away  also 
commits  adultery.  This  is  the  gospel  order  and  the  gospel 
church  is  morally  bound  to  support  and  contend  for  the  gospel 
order.  It  doefe  not  matter,  therefore,  upon  what  ground  the 
courts  may  grant  a  divorce  the  church  cannot  recognize  it,  ex- 
cept it  is  granted  upon  the  principle  laid  down  by  our  Saviour 
and  for  the  cause  named  by  Him — adultery. 

"All  other  divorces  are  unscriptural,  and  the  parties  so  obtain- 
ing them  are  guilty  of  adultery,  and  therefore  unfit  for  member- 
ship in  the  christian  church.  A  married  couple  is  bound  by  the 
law  of  God  as  long  as  they  live,  except  fornication  or  adultery 
separate  them.  Neither  is  free  while  the  other  lives,  unless  the 
cause  be  scriptural.  If  the  cause  be  scriptural,  the  innocent 
party  may  many  again,  after  a  divorce  is  had.  and  remain  a 
wholesome  member  of  the  church,  but  the  guilty  party  cannot 
marry  again  and  be  a  member  of  the  christian  church.  Though, 
if  there  is  evidence  of  genuine  repentance,  the  guilty  party 
might  be  restored  to  church  fellowship,  but  not  allowed  to 
marry  again. 

"In  cases  of  abandonment,  or  'willful  continued  desertion,7 
as  the  courts  put  it,  the  parties  might  be  allowed  to  separate 
and  be  retained  as  members  of  the  church,  provided  they  are 
reconciled  to  each  other,  but  not  be  divorced  from  each  other — 
not  allowed  to  marry  again,  from  the  fact  that  the  church  can- 
not make  laws.  Her  laws  are  made  by  Christ,  and  He  has 
allowed  only  two  causes  for  total  divorce,  and  they  are  adultery 
and  fornication.  A  thousand  men  have  no  more  right  to  put 
asunder  what  God  has  joined  together  than  one  man  has.  It 
is  no  more  legal,  in  the  sight  of  God,  for  twelve  men  to  put 
asunder  man  and  wife  than  it  is  for  one  man  to  do  it;  and  the 
church  should  regard  it  no  more  than  if  one  man  had  done  it. 

"The  Apostle  Paul  says,  in  I.  Cor.,  vii,  10,  11 :  'And  unto  the 
married  I  command,  yet  not  I,  but  the  Lord,  that  a  wife  depart 
not  from  her  husband :  But  and  if  she  depart,  let  her  remain 
unmarried,  or  be  reconciled  to  her  husband :  And  let  not  the 
husband  put  away  his  wife.' 

"Here  is  no  intimation  of  divorce,  for  she  is  told  to  remain 
unmarried. 

"In  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth  verses,  the  apostle  lays  down 
the  rule  for  the  government  of  marriages  of  believers  and  unbe- 


ISO  History  of  the  First 


lievers.  He  says,  if  a  man  has  an  unbelieving  wife,  and  she 
be  pleased  to  stay  with  him,  he  must  not  put  her  away.  The 
same  is  true  of  a  woman  with  an  unbelieving  husband. 

"At  the  fifteenth  verse  he  seems  to  strike  another  key.  He 
says  that  '  If  the  unbelieving  depart,  let  him  depart.  A  brother 
or  sister  is  not  under  bondage  in  such  cases.' 

"The  apostle  is  not  contradicting  the  general  principle  laid 
down  by  the  Lord.  Christ  dealt  with  a  general  matter,  and 
the  apostle  is  dealing  with  a  special  matter.  Christ  laid  down 
the  general  rule,  and  the  apostle  is  applying  it.  We  would 
need  to  consider  the  circumstances  for  which  the  apostle  is 
giving  this  special  rule,  for  we  all  know  that  it  is  one  thing  to 
lay  down  a  general  rule,  and  quite  another  to  apply  it. 

"The  converted  wives  of  pagans  were  subjected  to  many 
difficulties  and  temptations.  These  christian  women  had 
learned  to  look  upon  idolatry  with  horror,  and  still  the  kitchen 
hearth  was  consecrated  to  false  gods.  These  gods  were  to  be 
worshipped  by  the  family  circle.  How  could  a  christian  woman 
conscientiously  do  this?  And  how  could  she  have  peace  if  she 
refused?  When  they  sat  down  to  a  meal,  libation,  as  worship, 
was  poured  out  to  some  false  god,  'and  on  joyous  occasions  the 
pantomimic  dance  and  profane  song  were  required."  What 
christian  could  take  part  in  such  worship,  so  wholly  repugnant 
to  the  religion  of  Christ?  It  is  said  that  the  'reign  of  Venus 
was  coextensive  with  that  of  Jove.'  There  were  many  heathen 
worships  that  the  wife  would  be  subjected  to  by  marrying  a 
heathen  man  that  would  make  her  life  miserable.  Under  these 
circumstances  the  apostle  wrote.  Yet  he  does  not  tell  her  to 
leave  him, 'but  if  he  depart,  let  him  depart,'  and  after  he 
departs  she  is  not  told  to  remarry,  but  remain  unmarried. 

"Respecting  cruel  treatment,  it  seems  that  this  same  rule 
would  apply.  If  life  is  endangered  by  living  together,  a  tem- 
porary  separation  may  be  in  order,  but  never  a  remarriage. 
Whenever  the  parties  became  reconciled  they  might  again 
resume  their  nuptial  relation. 

"So  with  drunkenness.  The  wife  might  resort  to  every  hon- 
orable means  to  cure  a  drunken  husband,  but  never  separate 
from  him  except  it  be  absolutely  necessary  to  save  her  life. 
And  then  she  is  positively  forbidden  to  marry  again.  That 
same  drunken  man  is  her  husband  until  he  dies. 
1  "  So  with  willful  and  continued  desertion.  If  he  still  lives  he 
is  her  husband,  and  the  scriptures  do  not  justify  a  divorce. 
It  must  be  remembered  that  they  married  '  for  better  or  for 
worse.' 


African  Baptist  Church.  131 

"I  believe  that  either  party  guilty  of  the  offense  named  by 
the  Saviour  is  bound  to  divorce  the  other  when  apprized  of  it. 
It  is"  not  in  their  province  to  forgive  this  offense,  for  it  just  as 
virtually  dissolves  the  union  as  death.  If  the}7  remain  together 
after  this  both  are  guilty  of  adultery  and  unfit  for  membership 
in  the  christian  church.  A  man  marrying  a  woman  that  is 
divorced,  and  professing  Christ  afterward,  cannot  join  the 
christian  church  so  long  as  he  lives  with  this  divorced  woman. 
You  will  see,  therefore,  that  a  divorced  person  is  never  capable 
of  marrying  again.  She  is  forever  retired  from  the  matrimonial 
world.  To  the  marriage  rite  she  is  dead,  and  a  man  has  no 
more  right  to  contract  marriage  with  a  divorced  woman  than 
with  a  dead  woman.  If  he  does,  he  dies  with  her,  and  the 
church  must  regard  him  as  dead  and  turn  him  out  of  her  pale 
to  mingle  with  the  dead.  The  courts  have  what  they  call  dis- 
cretionary powers,  but  the  church  has  none.  The  Bible  is  her 
code ;  to  its  teachings  she  must  bow  and  say  amen. 

•'The  cause  of  so  many  separations  and  divorces  is  because 
persons  have  gone  into  the  matrimonial  rite  heedlessty — with- 
out mature  thought,  and,  worse  still,  without  love.  Persons 
have  been  persuaded  to  marry  by  their  friends  who  had  no 
higher  idea  of  marriage  than  to  accept  the  advice  of  a  foolish, 
deceitful  friend.  Many  persons  have  married  because  the 
woman  looked  well,  dressed  well  and  talked  well.  With  no 
higher  aspiration  than  to  get  a  good  looking  wife.  Some  girls 
have  married  a  man  to  spite  the  other  girls,  or  because  her 
parents  didn't  want  her  to  marry  him.  Some  girls,  I'm  sorry 
to  say,  have  married  to  get  away  from  their  parents  because 
they  were  so  unreasonable  and  cruel.  They  hadn't  time  to 
think  of  love.  They  were  in  the  fire  and  the  quickest  way  out 
was  the  best  way  to  them.  Some  parents  seem  never  to  think 
that  their  girls  are  of  age  until  they  marry.  Some  girls  have 
simply  married  a  fellow  because  he  had  something ;  some,  still, 
married  one  man  and  loved  another.  The  parents  objected  to 
to  their  choice,  and  hence  the  man  married  another  to  abuse 
her,  and  the  girl  married  another  to  disobey  and  deceive  him. 
It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  trifle  with  a  person's  love.  Many  parents 
will  find  it  hard  at  the  bar  of  God.  To  all  of  those  who  have 
gone  into  marriage  thoughtlessly,  yea,  to  you  unfoi'tunates,  I 
have  this  word  of  consolation  for  you :  You  have  made  your 
bed  hard,  lie  hard — God's  word  does  not  grant  you  a  divorce. 
Try  to  so  live  that  you  will  get  over  it  when  you  die.  That  is 
the  end  of  your  suffering.  You  will  not  have  to  live  with  him 
as  husband  in  heaven,  for  there  they  neither  marry  nor  are 
given  in  marriage.     But  they  do  always  behold  the  face  of  the 


132  History  of  the  First 


Father,  and  Jesus  Christ  the  Lord.  Then  it  will  all  be  over  and 
heaven  will  yield  you  sweeter  rest.  It  is  pleasing  to  know  that 
when  this  life  of  suffering,  abuses  and  disappointments  is  over 
that  we  have  the  promise  of  a  better  life  beyond — that  is  free 
from  mistakes  or  anything  that  defiles  a  man.  The  hope  of  that 
heavenly  home  is  sweet.  If  a  single  thought  that  I  have  ex- 
pressed will  urge  you  to  purer  lives  and  to  think  more  highly 
of  Jesus  and  the  glorious  doctrines  of  the  cross  I  am  satisfied. 
May  the  hoty  spirit  impress  these  truths  upon  your  hearts,  for 
Jesus'  sake.     Amen." 

Rev.  Love  was  earnestly  requested  by  some  of  his  members 
to  preach  a  sermon  upon  the  "Keys  of  the  kingdom,  and  bind- 
ing and  loosing,"  which  he  did  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  church, 
a  true  copy  of  which  is  here  reproduced,  with  the  hope  that  it 
will  do  much  good.  We  charitably  hope  that  it  will  be  read 
with  interest  and  profit.  Those  who  read  it  may  not  be  so 
highly  favored  as  those  who  heard  it  considered  themselves,  yet 
the  blessing  of  God  is  prayed  upon  it  that  it  imiy  prove  a  bless- 
ing to  the  reader  too  : 

LOOSING    AND    BINDING. 

"  Matthew,  xvi,  19 — ;And  I  will  give  unto  thee  the  keys  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven :  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  on 
earth  shall  be  bound  in  heaven:  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt 
loose  on  earth  shalt  be  loosed  in  heaven.' 

"I  appear  before  you  to-night  to  discuss  another  one  of  those 
difficult  subjects  about  which  there  is  a  diversity  of  opinion 
even  among  scholars.  I  do  not  delight  in  discussing  difficult 
subjects,  but  it  is  needful  for  me  to  suggest  a  few  thoughts  from 
this  text  which  I  hope  will  be  useful  to  you.  This  text  is  very 
much  quoted  and  equally  as  much  misunderstood.  The  blessed 
Saviour's  intimacy  with  his  church  is  declared  in  the  text. 
The  Saviour  organized  the  church  and  left  His  seal  of  approba- 
tion upon  it,  with  the  promise  that  whenever  they  met  in  His 
name  and  agreed,  that  their  meetings  and  doings  should  be 
clothed  with  divine  authority,  and  that  heaven  would  sanction 
whatever  they  did  in  His  name  as  His  representatives.  This 
is  what  makes  apostolic  examples  as  binding  on  us  as  the  words 
of  our  Saviour.  They  were  inspired  to  act  as  well  as  to  say. 
They  did  what  the  Saviour  would  have  done,  and  said  what 
He  would  have  said.  Jesus,  on  entering  Cesarea  Phillippi, 
asked  His  disciples  what  did  men  think  of  Him.  Peter  said 
that  some  thought  he  was  John  the  Baptist,  some  thought  he 
was   Elias,  some   thought  he  was   Jeremias,  or  some  of  the 


African  Baptist   Church.  133 

# 

prophets.  The  Saviour  then  put  the  question  directly  to  them, 
to  which  Peter  answered, '  Thou  art  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living- 
God.'  Upon  this  truth  confessed  bj^  Peter  the  Saviour  promised 
to  build  His  church,  to  which  He  gave  Peter  the  keys,  that  he 
might  unlock  it  to  Jews  and  Gentiles.  This  was  not  to  put 
Peter  above  the  other  disciples.  As  he  had  nearly  always 
spoken  for  the  crowd,  being  characteristic  of  his  nature,  so  he 
represented  them  in  the  reception  of  the  keys. 

I. — AND  I  WILL  GIVE  UNTO  THEE  THE  KEYS  OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF 

HEAVEN. 

"  A  key  is  an  instrument  for  opening  a  door.  He  who  has 
it  has  the  privilege  of  entering  at  will.  The  keys  referred 
to  in  the  text  mean  authority,  power,  divine  appointment.  This 
authority  has  not  been  given  to  Peter  alone,  but  in  some  respect 
to  every  minister  of  Jesus. 

"If  to  Peter  alone  was  given  this  power  and  divine  sanction 
we  might  justly  be  alarmed,  unless  we  can  find  the  family 
through  which  the  transferring  of  the  keys  have  passed  from 
St.  Peter.  If  we  should  fail  in  this,  then  we  should  find  no 
open  door  into  the  kingdom.  There  is  no  evidence  in  the  scrip- 
tures that  St.  Peter  was  promoted  above  his  fellow-disciples. 
Paul  withstood  him  to  his  face  for  he  was  to  be  blamed.  This 
Paul  would  not  have  done  had  he  recognized  Peter  as  ruler. 
For  Paul  more  than  once  taught  that  we  should  obey  them  that 
had  rule  over  us,  and  that  whoever  resisted  the  rulers  resisted 
the  ordinances  of  God. 

"If  St.  Peter  was  recognized  as  chief  of  the  church  of  the 
apostolic  age,  it  is  strange  that  none  of  the  documents  bear  his 
signature  approved  as  such.  It  is  more  than  strange  that  he 
on  no  occasion  issued  a  proclamation  to  the  churches  as  such. 
Every  other  person  claiming  to  be  chief  on  certain  occasions 
has  issued  proclamations  or  documents  bearing  their  signature 
as  chief.  The  logical  conclusion,  therefore,  must  be  that  so  far 
as  apostolic  supremacy  is  concerned  there  was  none,  and  all  of 
the  apostles  were  equal. 

"The  power  was  given  alike  to  all  of  them.  The  presenta- 
tion of  the  keys  to  the  apostles  reminds  us  of  a  husband  going 
away  and  turning  over  the  keys  to  his  wife,  to  whom  he  en- 
trusts all  of  his  business.  After  giving  her  full  instructions 
about  the  business,  and  ample  directions  in  every  part  of  it,  he 
tells  her  that  whatever  she  does,  according  to  the  directions 
given,  he  will  approve  it,  for  it  would  be  as  if  he  had  done  it. 
Or  as  a  master  going  off  delivers  his  goods  into  the  hands  of 
his  servant,  with  orders  and  promises  to  approve  whatever  he 


13J/.  History  of  the  First 


does  according  to  the  orders  given.  Christ  is  under  no  prom- 
ise to  endorse  what  He  has  not  ordered,  and  what  the  Bible 
does  not  contain  He  has  not  ordered  and  will  not  endorse.  The 
presentation  of  the  keys  to  His  disciples  indicates  His  loving 
intimacy  with  the  church.  Where  a  loving  intimacy  exists 
between  two  parties  there  also  exists  power  of  the  one  over  the 
other.  For  intimacy  breeds  power,  confidence  and  approba- 
tion. This  is  what  makes  the  church  the  most  powerful  insti- 
tution under  heaven.  She  enjoys  intimacy  with  Christ.  She 
has  His  approving  smiles.  No  other  organization  could  have 
come  through  the  bloody  and  fiery  persecution,  increasing  as  it 
marched,  but  the  church,  the  Lamb's  bride.  Her  intimacy 
with  the  King  gained  His  favor  and  protection.  The  intima- 
tion to  St.  Peter  here  is  that  he  would  be  the  first  to  open  the 
door  of  the  visible  kingdom — the  church — to  both  Jews  and 
Gentiles.  This  was  fulfilled  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  at 
Cornelius'  house.  The  kingdom  evidently  means  the  christian 
church.  It  must  be  remembered  that  no  intimation  is  here 
or  elsewhere  given  that  Christ  gave  Peter  the  keys  of  heaven. 
For  in  that  event  every  one  who  wished  to  enter  heaven  would 
be  obliged  to  consult  Peter.  Peter  would  indeed  be  the  proper 
being  to  whom  prayer  would  be  due,  since  upon  him  would 
hang  our  chance  for  entering  heaven ;  in  this  case  it  would  be 
evident  that  Christ  had  transferred  his  power  to  Peter,  and 
hence  prayer  to  Christ  would  be  improper  and  a  violation  of 
contract.  It  will  be  remembered,  also,  that  Christ  appeared  to 
John  many  years  after  this  with  the  keys  of  authority  in  his 
own  hands,  showing  that  he  had  not  transferred  them  to  any- 
body. Our  Lord  has  arranged  it  so  that  we  can  go  to  the 
throne  direct  and  have  no  right  or  business  to  consult  men,  de- 
parted saints  nor  angels.  We  c?n  come  boldly  for  ourselves  to 
a  throne  of  grace  and  speak  directly  to  the  King.  We  have  as 
much  right  to  the  keys  of  heaven  as  Peter  had,  or  anybody 
else.  We  rejoice  to  know  that  God  will  answer  our  prayers  as 
quick  as  He  will  anybody  else's.  That  which  guarantees  the 
answer  to  prayer  has  always  been  the  same,  and  that  is  faith. 
The  prayer  of  faith  has  always  been  answered.  By  this  means 
the  door  of  heaven  is  opened.  Whether  this  is  the  key  or  not, 
it  is  not  important  to  know.  It  opens  or  it  influences  him  to 
open  who  has  the  keys.  In  either  ease  the  result  reached  is 
the  same.  There  need  not  be  any  miscarriage  in  our  petitions, 
for  we  can  carry  them  ourselves  directly  to  the  King.  If  we 
have  not  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  we  have  the  keys 
of  authority  to  approach  His  Majesty  in  the  name  of  Christ,  the 
Lord.     This  intimacy  is  encouraged  by  the  Lord,  and  He  is 


African  Bajitist   Church.  135 

* 

still  the  head  of  the  church  and  hugs  her  to  His  bosom  as  His 
bride  and  approves  her  as  His  own. 

II. — BINDING   ON   EARTH   AND   IN   HEAVEN. 

"  This  at  once  sets  forth  the  seal  of  approbation  upon  the 
church  of  Christ  the  Lord.  But  this  is  conditioned  upon  the 
presumption  that  the  church  has  complied  with  the  contract. 
The  word  'bind'  among  the  Jews  was  used  to  denote  a  thing- 
declared — a  doctrine  taught.  It  must  be  remembered  that 
'  loose  '  and  '  bind '  were  used  only  among  the  Jews,  and  refers 
to  things  and  not  to  persons.  So  that  the  Saviour  meant  that 
whatever  thing  or  censure  ye  inflicted  upon  a  person,  or  in  the 
church,  according  to  the  rule  I  have  just  given  you,  shall  be 
ratified  in  heaven.  Let  us  not  forget  that  the  Saviour  quotes 
this  Jewish  phrase  just  after  he  had  given  direction  how 
to  deal  with  an  offending  person.  The  language  used  by  Christ 
is  found  only  in  Matthew,  who  is  supposed  to  have  written  his 
gospel  in  Hebrew  for  the  Jews  and  afterward  translated  it  into 
Greek. 

"  It  will  be  seen  that  the  Greek  '  osa '  is  neuter  and  refers  to  a 
thing,  and  that  '  desete '  was  used  among  the  Jews  as  referring 
to  the  declaration  of  a  doctrine  or  any  article  of  restraining  or 
granting.  They  generally  meant  that  it  is  lawful  to  do  or 
not  do,  as  the  case  might  be,  by  'loose '  and  '  bind.'  ISTow,  then, 
the  conclusion  must  be  that  Christ  meant  to  teach  them  that 
whatever  law  they  enacted  or  censure  they  inflicted  according 
to  His  law  He  would  approve  of  it.  A  sweet  thought  is  inti- 
mated here  that  the  doings  of  the  church  on  earth  are  reviewed 
by  the  church  in  heaven.  The  decision  of  the  court  below  is 
subject  to  the  court  above.  If  the  court  below  meets  in  the 
name  of  Christ,  and  censures  one  of  its  members  for  crime  or 
obstinacy,  the  court  above  confirms  the  decision  of  the  court 
below  and  the  censure  is  valid.  Such  a  member  is  turned  over 
to  Satan  to  be  buffeted  for  a  season  until  that  member  shall 
have  learned  to  behave  and  acknowledge  the  authority  of  the 
church.  The  court  regards  the  censure  as  being  just.  Just 
how  such  a  member  is  regarded  by  the  court  above  we  may  not 
learn  until  we  shall  have  been  made  members  of  that  holy  and 
infallible  tribunal.  If  from  prejudice,  ill  feelings,  unfairness 
or  strategy  a  member  is  turned  out,  the  censure  is  unjust,  the 
judgment  of  the  court  below  is  reversed.  It  is  not  '  bound :  in 
heaven,  not '  loosed '  in  the  court  of  the  righteous  Judge  of  all 
the  earth. 

"It  must  be  noticed,  also',  that  the  apostles  were  inspired  and 
therefore  less  likely  to  make  mistakes.     JN"o  church  and  no 


136  History  of  the  First 


minister  would  presume  to  read  the  hearts  of  their  members  as 
Peter  did  Anania's  and  Sapphira's.  That  power  was  granted 
only  to  the  pioneers  of  the  christian  religion.  It  is  not  now 
used  because  it  is  not  now  needed.  People  are  more  capable  of 
reasoning  now,  and  hence  we  resort  to  reason,  for  the  days  of 
miracles  to  convince  men  of  the  power  of  the  christian  religion 
are  over.  Where  Paul  found  the  people  prepared  to  reason,  as 
at  Athens,  no  miracles  were  performed.  The  approbation  of 
Christ  upon  His  church  is  to  make  men  fear  and  love  the  church 
as  they  would  Him.  It  is  intended  to  have  the  enemies  of  the 
cross  to  know  that  He  espouses  the  cause  of  His  church  and 
will  defend  her.  He  made  Paul  understand  that  the  punish- 
ment that  he  was  inflicting  upon  His  church  was  upon  her 
Lord.  'Saul,  Saul,  why  persecuteth  thou  me,'  was  the 
strange  inquiry.  He  has  said,  'Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done 
it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these,  my  brethren,  ye  have  done 
it  unto  me,'  and  that  one  had  better  be  in  the  sea  with  a 
millstone  about  his  neck  than  to  offend  one  of  these,  my 
little  ones.  Such  passages  should  make  the  enemies  of  the 
cross  stand  in  awe.  If  you  insult  the  church  you  insult  her 
Lord.  Who  can  behold  the  wonderful  accomplishments  of  the 
church  without  learning  that  she  must  have  been  supported  by 
hands  divine?  Who  can,  after  examining  the  victories  of  the 
church,  fail  to  see  that  she  was  defended  by  an  eternal  arm? 
Who  can  learn  the  history  of  the  church  and  notice  her  powerful 
enemies  without  feeling  that  a  supreme  being  must  have  guided 
her.  Criticise  the  church  as  severely  as  you  may,  but  you  will 
find  fewer  mistakes  in  her  acts  than  in  any  other  institution 
under  heaven.  Examine  her  literature  and  learned  men  and 
no  other  institution  presents  such  an  enviable  front.  In  ques- 
tion of  purity  where  is  her  equal?  In  doctrine,  what  institu- 
tion touches  her  purity,  justness  and  sublimity?  In  liberality 
and  virtue  she  occupies  the  highest  plane.  All  this  shows  that 
she  is  guided  by  the  eternal  eye  and  kept  by  grace  through 
faith.  As  the  church  associates  with  Christ  she  will  naturally 
contract  His  habits,  imbibe  His  doctrines  and  gather  strength 
from  Him.  Therefore  He  has  promised  to  endorse  what  she 
does  in  conforming  to  His  will.  It  does  not  mean  that  if  the 
church  receives  an  unconverted  person  into  her  fellowship  that 
heaven  accepts  him.  This  would  be  inconsistent  with  the 
charter  of  the  gospel  church — regeneration. 

"There  are  many  things  which  the  church  does  that  are 
not  'bound'  in  heaven.  This  does  not  mean  that  if  the 
church  should  owe  an  honest  debt  and  'bind'  not  to  pay 
it,  that  it  will  be  '  bound '  in  heaven.      The  Bible  tells  to  her 


African  Baptist  Church.  137 

to  'owe  no  man.'  This  does  not  mean  that  should  the  church 
1  bind '  not  to  support  the  mission  work  and  spread  the  gospel 
that  it  shall  be  '  bound '  in  heaven.  She  is  told  to  preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature.  It  means  that  whatever  the  church 
does  that  is  right,  that  the  author  of  right  will  endorse  it ;  that 
whatever  she  does  that  He  has  commanded  He  will  approve  of 
it.  God  will  approve  of  the  right  in  everybody  and  reward 
them  accordingly.  He  will  show  her  the  path  of  life  and  bring 
her  in  His  presence  where  there  is  fullness  of  joy,  and  set  her 
on  His  right  hand  where  there  are  pleasures  for  evermore.  If 
the  church  would  have  the  approving  smiles  of  her  Master,  let 
her  strive  to  do  right  and  all  will  be  well.  His  smile  eclipses 
the  frowns  of  all  the  enemies  combined.  It  is  day  if  He  smiles 
upon  us  in  the  midst  of  ten  thousand  frowning  worlds.  In  the 
scorns,  contempts  and  darkness  of  the  world,  like  the  children 
of  Israel  in  Egypt,  there  will  be  light  in  our  house  under  the 
approving  smiles  of  Christ,  our  Lord,  and  amid  the  persecu- 
tions and  fierce  battles  of  life  we  niay  sing  amid  the  tempest, 
'  Praise  the  Lord.'     Notice  further : 

III. — LOOSING   OK   EARTH   AND   IN   HEAVEN. 

"It  is  also  true  of  this  loosing.  It  is  a  seal  of  approbation ; 
but  it  is  a  seal  of  approbation  of  the  right,  and  not  of  the  wrong. 
In  neither  case  is  it  meant  that  there  is  a  turning  out  of  heaven. 
The  primary  meaning  is  that  the  acts  of  the  church  are 
endorsed  by  heaven.  It  is  fair  to  presume,  therefore,  that  since 
the  church  makes  mistakes  many  of  her  decisions  are  reversed 
by  the  supreme  court.  Many  whom  the  church  censures  do  not 
rest  under  the  divine  censure,  because  the  church  is  wrong ;  and 
many  whom  the  church  acquits  still  remain  under  the  divine 
censure,  because  they  are  guilty.  But  if  the  church  justly 
declares  non-fellowship  with  a  member,  Christ  approves  it  as 
being  just.  This  is  what  is  meant  by  'loosed'  on  earth  and 
'  loosed '  in  heaven.  This  further  shows  the  intimacy  between 
Christ  and  his  church.  Whatever  she  hates,  He  hates,  and 
whatever  she  declares  is  wrong  and  unholy,  He  declares  is 
wrong  and  unholy.  It  does  not  mean  that  whoever  is  turned 
out  of  the  church  is  turned  out  of  heaven.  This  is  not  what 
the  Saviour  is  driving  at.  If  when  they  are  turned  out  of  the 
church  they  are  turned  out  of  heaven,  then  when  they  wish  to 
make  their  return,  they  must  first  be  taken  into  the  church 
before  they  can  be  received  back  into  heaven.  This  argument 
would  place  the  church  before  heaven,  and  strike  the  death- 
blow to  the  doctrine  taught  by  John,  that  we  must  bring  forth 
fruit  meet  for  repentance.     The  soul  should  first  get  right  with 


138  History  of  the  First 


its  God.  and  then  with  His  people.  It  is  often  the  case  that 
when  God  has  forgiven  a  sin  that  the  church  is  still  grumbling 
about  it.  It  is  also  true  that  God  has  forgiven  many  sins 
before  the  church  has  found  them  out,  and  hence  the  church  in 
some  instances  works  too  late.  The  rule  is  nevertheless  good 
that  when  the  church  condemns  sin  God  approves  it,  and  when 
the  church  accepts  a  true  penitent  God  sanctions  it.  In  neither 
case  does  the  church  act  before  God  does. 

"Dr.  P.  H.  Mell  says  on  this  subject:  'The  Saviour  prom- 
ised the  apostles  to  give  them  plenary  inspiration.  That  he 
would  see  that  they  should  make  no  mistake  in  any  doctrines 
they  announced,  or  in  any  gospel  institution  they  might  organ- 
ize. That  they  should  adopt  (or  bind)  on  earth  what  already 
had  been  decided  upon  in  heaven,  and  reject  (or  loose)  on  earth 
what  had  already  been  rejected  in  heaven.  This  makes  apos- 
tolic examples  as  binding  on  us  as  apostolic  precepts.' 

"Dr.  J.  M.  Pendleton  says  on  this  subject  that  'we  are  to 
understand  'bind'  in  the  sense  of  forbid,  and  'loose'  in  the 
sense  of  permit,  and  the  meaning  of  the  passage  is  that  what  a 
church  does  in  accordance  with  the  law  of  Christ  is  approved 
and  ratified  in  heaven.' 

"Dr.  DeVotie  says:  'It  must  be  very  clear  to  you  that  no 
one  can  be  bound  in  heaven  or  on  earth  by  a  decision  against 
Him  contrary  to  the  gospel.' 

"Dr.  Holmes  says:  'It  is  said  that  the  words  'bind'  and 
'loose'  were  frequently  used  by  the  Jews  in  the  sense  of  enjoin 
and  permit  as  applied  to  the  teaching  of  their  rabbis,  both  prac- 
tical and  doctrinal.  That  may  be  the  sense  in  which  '  bind '  and 
'loose  '  are  used  here.' 

"Matthew  Henry  says:  'Here  is  a  warrant  signed  for  the 
ratification  of  all  the  church's  proceedings  according  to  these 
rules.  What  was  said  before  to  Peter  is  here  said  to  all  the 
disciples,  and  in  them  to  all  the  faithful  office-bearers  in  the 
church,  to  the  world's  end.' 

"We  are  to  be  very  sure  that  our  sentence  is  pronounced  ac- 
cording to  the  gospel  rule,  or  we  are  more  censurable  than 
those  whom  we  attempt  to  censure.  Or  it  would  be  true  '  clave 
errantV — the  key  turning  the  wrong  way.  The  keys  are  as  a 
two-edged  sword,  which  cuts  those  who  handle  it  if  it  is  turned 
the  wrong  way. 

APPLICATIONS. 

"  It  must  be  very  evident  that  the  apostles  did  not  have  ab- 
solute power  to  'bind'  and  'loose'  on  earth,  or  there  would  be 
no  need  to  '  bind '  and  '  loose '  in  heaven  in  ratification  of  what 


African  Baptist  Church.  139 

they  did  on  earth.  It  must  be  clear  from  what  has  been  said 
that  their  acts  were  not  final,  from  the  fact  that  they  were  to 
be  reviewed  by  heaven  and  '  bound '  and  '  loosed '  there  before 
they  were  valid.  The  decisions  of  no  court  are  final  that  are 
subject  to  review.  The  church  is  the  highest  court  on  earth, 
and  therefore  can  be  reviewed  by  no  earthly  tribunal.  It  must 
be  apparent  that  the  church  is  a  branch  of  the  government  of 
heaven  and  is  answerable  alone  to  headquarters.  It  cannot  be 
doubted  that  whatever  the  church  endeavors  to  accomplish  that 
is  right  God  will  see  to  it  that  she  prevails.  Eight  is  immortal 
and  will  ultimately  prevail. 

"I  have  been  inexpressibly  pleased  to  see  that  the  success  of 
the  prohibitionists  has  been  unanimously  charged  up  to  the 
church.  She  'bound'  on  earth,  and  it  was  'bound'  in  heaven. 
In  a  certain  city  in  Georgia,  where  the  fight  against  whisky 
was  hot,  a  Baptist  minister  got  on  the  fence  and  the  prohibition 
army  failed.  Though  the  frowns  of  every  good  citizen  in  that 
community  rest  upon  him,  and  though  ladies,  white  and  colored, 
hiss  at  him  as  he  passes  through  the  streets,  he  can  assuage  his 
sorrow  by  drinking  to  their  health  of  the  best  whisky  in  that 
town  free  of  charge,  and  in  the  magnanimity  of  his  drunken 
soul  pass  their  vituperation  by  without  a  rejoinder  for  the  next 
two  years.  Then  shall  the  Babylonian  garment  and  the  golden 
wedge  be  dug  up,  and  Achan  and  his  family  stoned  by  the  army 
of  the  living  God,  and  Israel  shall  go  up  in  the  strength  of  their 
God  and  take  Ai  without  the  loss  of  a  man.  Then  shall  the 
enemies  of  the  cross  know  that  there  is  a  God  in  Israel  who 
pleads  the  cause  of  his  church  and  will  utterly  destroy  all  of 
her  enemies  and  build  up  Zion  on  the  ruins  thereof.  This  can 
but  show  in  either  case  the  influence  of  the  church.  The 
church  rocked  in  her  cradle  science,  dandled  on  her  knees  civ- 
ilization, and  from  her  bosom  came  the  noble  God-like  spirit 
of  liberty  that  has  pervaded  this  land.  She  revolutionized  the 
world  and  she  is  determined  to  rule  it.  From  her  rostrum 
comes  the  law  that  has  divinity  in  it,  before  which  mountains 
melt  to  flames  and  the  king  of  righteousness  without  a  rival 
reigns.  The  warp  of  her  flag  is  truth,  the  woof  is  righteous- 
ness, and  upon  it  is  spangled,  with  divine  symmetry  in  gorgeous 
beauty,  the  stains  of  holiness,  peace,  mercy,  temperance  and 
virtue.  Under  its  golden  fringes  the  blood- washed  army  march, 
cognizant  of  the  fact  that  upon  the  flag  under  which  they  march 
is  inscribed  in  golden  letters  'the  kingdoms  of  this  world  for 
our  God  and  his  Christ.' 

"It  is  not  disputed  that  the  church  has  always  been  and  is 
destined  to  be  successful  in  whatever  she  undertakes  that  tends 


ljfi  History  of  the  First 


to  advance  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  promote  the  truest  inter- 
est of  mankind.  It  is  to  be  lamented  that  many  churches  have 
been  used  by  wicked  designing  men  and  some  have  been  fright- 
ened from  the  path  of  duty  by  the  boastful  howling  of  the 
wicked.  Sometimes  by  those  who  happen  to  be  in  authority. 
Ministers  have  shrunk  from  duty  for  fear  of  unpopularity. 
This  will  never  be  endorsed  by  heaven.  We  should  do  what 
we  know  to  be  right  with  a  conscience  void  of  offense  towards 
God  and  man.  Offend  all  the  world  a  thousand  times  rather 
than  to  offend  God  once.  That  popularity  that  God  frowns 
upon  is  eternally  dangerous.  Let  the  church  do  her  duty  and 
God  will  see  to  it  that  she  is  defended,  guarded,  protected  and 
led.  Let  humility,  union  and  love  characterize  all  of  our  acts 
and  we  have  nothing  to  fear.  The  Lord  our  God  shall  fight  for 
us  and  we  shall  hold  our  peace.  Let  the  church  '  bind '  that  no 
unrighteous  man  shall  have  rule  over  us,  and  it  will  be  '  bound ' 
in  heaven.  And  when  we  shall  finish  our  session  of  '  binding ' 
and  'loosing'  on  earth,  the  church  on  earth  shall  go  up  to  join 
the  church  of  the  first-born  in  heaven,  where  congregations 
never  break  irp  and  Sabbaths  have  no  end.  There  we  shall 
spend  a  never-ending  eternity  in  the  glorious  presence  of  the 
King.  And  with  the  redeemed  and  sanctified  we  shall  praise 
Him  who  died  for  us  and  by  His  blood  purchased  our  pardon. 
To  Him,  the  head  of  the  church,  the  shepherd  and  bishop  of 
our  souls,  be  all  the  glory,  now  and  forever  more.     Amen." 

These  discourses  show  somewhat  of  the  abilities  of  the  man 
a  sketch  of  whom  I  have  attempted  to  write. 

Rev.  E.  K.  Love  was  honored  with  the  degree  of  D.  D.  by 
the  Selma  (Ala.)  University  May  31st,  1888.  The  following  is 
an  editorial  in  the  Baptist  Leader,  June  the  7th,  1888 : 

REV.  E.  K.  LOVE. 

"The  Board  of  Trustees  and  Faculty  of  Selma  University 
conferred  upon  Rev.  E.  K.  Love  the  degree  of  D.  D.  We  know 
of  no  man  more  deserving  the  title  than  the  one  mentioned 
above.  He  is  a  scholar  and  a  christian  gentleman  of  undis- 
puted ability,  and  posesses  the  qualities  that  make  up  the  true 
man.  Alabamians  will  enjoy  this  information  and  hence  ad- 
dress Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  D.  D." 

The  notice  of  this  honor  came  while  the  convention  was  in 
session  in  Mr.  Love's  church  and  the  brethren  spoke  in  the 
highest  terms  of  the  Doctor  and  praised  the  University  for  this 
deserved  honor. 


African  Baptist   Church.  llf.1 

At  the  session  of  the  Missionary  Baptist  Convention  of  Geor- 
gia, May,  1888,  Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  D.  D.,  was  unanimously  elected 
Vice-President  of  said  convention. 

He  has  the  entire  confidence  of  the  brethren  throughout  the 
State.  He  is  friendly,  sociable  and  loving,  and  to  know  hini,  is 
but  to  love  him. 


CHAPTER  XV. 
Rev.  Dr.  Love's  Administration. 

The  church  was  very  much  divided  in  heart  and  sentiment 
when  Rev.  E.  K.  Love  took  charge.  He  soon  found  that  the 
bad  feeling  and  distrust  occasioned  by  the  split  of  1877  had  not 
entirely  disappeared.  He  set  to  work  very  wisely  to  unite  the 
hearts  of  his  people.  The  friends  of  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell  had 
been  long  struggling  to  erect  a  monument  to  his«nemory.  They 
had  no  help,  and  hence  the  work  lagged.  Rev.  Dr.  Love  took 
hold  of  it  heartily  and  the  church  united  with  him,  and  very 
soon  a  very  handsome  monument  was  erected  to  the  memory  of 
this  faithful  servant  of  God.  This  monument  was  unveiled 
January  1st,  1886.  Revs.  J.  M.  Simms,  E.  K.  Love,  Deacon  J. 
H.  Brown  and  others  made  very  appropriate  addresses.  This 
convinced  the  followers  of  Rev.  Campbell  that  they  had  a  friend 
in  Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  and  that  they  need  have  no  fears  that  Mr. 
Love  would  not  have  respect  for  the  labors  of  their  sainted 
father  and  do  full  justice  to  his  memory.  This  step  led  rapidly 
to  the  healing  of  the  breach  and  closing  the  vacuum  between 
the  two  heretofore  contending  parties,  and  Mr.  Love  became 
the  favorite  of  both  parties,  and  union  very  soon  followed,  to 
the  well-being  of  the  church.  The  increase  in  the  collections 
and  the  large  congregations  showed  that  there  were  better  feel- 
ings in  the  church — the  collections  scarcely  ever  falling  below 
$400  a  month.  The  church  was  never  more  prosperous  than 
under  the  leadership  of  Mr.  Love. 

In  the  spring  of  1886  the  church  had  a  glorious  revival,  and 
the  first  Sunday  in  May,  1886,  Rev.  Mr.  Love  baptized  110 
hopeful  converts.  The  time  consumed  in  baptizing  these  was 
only  23  minutes.  The  first  Sunday  in  June,  1886,  he  baptized 
70  hopeful  converts  in  13  minutes,  and  the  first  Sunday  in  July 
25  in  8  minutes ;  on  other  occasions  less.  In  these  meetings  the 
members  took  an  active  part.     The  sisters  had  prayer  meetings 


1J/2  History  of  the  First 


daily  at  4  p.  m.  under  leadership  of  Mrs.  M.  C.  Johnson,  one  of 
the  best  women  in  the  world.  On  the  first  Sunday  in  October, 
1886,  Mr.  Love  baptized  155  persons  in  33  minutes ;  on  the  first 
Sunday  in  November,  1886,  he  baptized  89  in  23  minutes,  and 
on  the  first  Sunday  in  December,  1886,  he  baptized  39  persons. 
Up  to  this  time  he  has  baptized  more  than  1200  persons.  The 
church  is  very  much  devoted  to  him  and  so  is  he  to  the  church. 

NEEDING  ROOM. 

Often  the  church  was  crowded  to  its  utmost  capacity  and  still 
many  went  off  who  could  not  gain  admittance  in  the  church  at 
all.  There  were  often  as  many  that  could  not  get  into  the 
church  as  could  get  into  the  building.  The  Savannah  Morning 
News  substantially  said  of  this  church  during  one  of  its  reviv- 
als: "The  church  is  filled  every  night  to  its  utmost  capacity; 
all  around  the  iron  railing  is  crowded  by  anxious  listeners  and 
the  square  in  front  of  the  church  is  crowded  with  persons 
anxious  to  hear  the  eloquent  preacher  through  the  windows. 
The  church  was  worked  up  to  an  interest  in  the  salvation  of 
souls  seldom  witnessed  by  any  church." 

It  was  now  evident  that  the  administration  of  Mr.  Love 
would  be  a  success  and  that  the  church  had  not  made  a  mistake 
in  its  choice  of  him  as  pastor.  Winning  the  confidence  of  the 
better  class  of  people,  the  church  increased  beyond  the  most 
sanguine  expectation  of  Mr.  Love's  most  ardent  admirers. 
Room  could  not  be  obtained  in  the  church  after  the  hour  for 
regular  services  to  begin.  This  necessitated  the  enlargement 
of  the  building.  In  order  to  do  this  it  was  necessary  to  buy 
the  property  in  rear  of  the  church.  This  was  quite  an  under- 
taking, but  the  church  was  competent  to  the  task. 

At  the  July  Conference  in  1886  Mr.  John  E.  Grant,  a  promi- 
nent member  of  the  church,  made  a  nice  speech  and  motioned 
to  buy  the  property  in  rear  of  the  church.  This  was  carried. 
A  purchasing  committee  was  appointed  with  plenary  power, 
consisting  of  Deacons  J.  H.  Brown,  chairman ;  C.  L.  DeLamotta, 
Alexander  Rannair,  March  Haines,  F.  J.  Wright,  and  Mr.  R.  P. 
Young.  The  property  was  bought  for  five  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred and  sixty-seven  dollars  and  forty-five  cents  ($5,867.45). 
This  was  engaged  in  August,  1886,  and  the  last  dollar  paid  on 
the  6th  of  April,  1887.  Every  note  was  met  without  any  delay 
whatever. 

The  property  having  been  purchased  the  church  was  advised 
by  the  ironed-will  pastor  to  commence  work.  The  wisdom 
of  this  was  doubted  by  the  officers  except  Deacons  F.  J.  Wright 


African  Baptist   Church.  1J/.3 

and  E.  C.  Johnson.  Deacon  Wright  contended  publicly  and 
privately  that  the  work  could  be  done.  He  was  a  great  com- 
fort to  the  pastor.  Urging  him.  not  to  be  discouraged  that  the 
work  could  be  done  and  that  the  people  would  raise  the  money 
and  that  he  would  find  no  trouble  in  accomplishing  the  work. 
The  third  Sunday  in  October,  1887,  the  first  collection  was 
taken  for  the  building,  and  every  third  Sunday  thereafter  until 
the  third  Sunday  in  April,  1888. 

The  church  passed  a  resolution  on  the  third  Sunday  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1888,  that  work  should  commence  the  latter  part  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1888.  The  building  committee  consisted  of  Brethren  A. 
M.  Monroe,  chairman;  C.  H.  Ebbs,  Richard  Butler,  Richard 
Maynor,  David  Jackson,  John  Byrd  and  Sandy  Rhett.  This 
was  an  earnest,  competent  and  whole-souled  committee.  Dea- 
con J.  H.  Hooker  was  chosen  foreman  of  the  brick  work,  Dea- 
con F.  J.  Wright  foreman  of  the  wood  work,  and  Deacon  F.  M. 
Williams  to  do  the  painting.  The  work  commenced  on  the  21st 
of  February,  1888.  Deacon  J.  H.  Hooker  laid  the  first  brick. 
The  extension  is  28  feet  6  inches  long  and  consists  of  a  bay 
window  for  the  pulpit,  a  pool  and  an  arch  gallery,  forming  into 
an  o.  g.  before  it  reaches  the  walls  of  the  west  end  of  the 
church,  in  which  is  the  pulpit.  The  pulpit  has  two  doors  and 
two  handsome  windows  of  stained  glass  and  arched,  with  the 
photographs  of  Revs.  Bryan,  Marshall,  Campbell  and  Gibbons. 
A  flight  of  stairs  leads  from  both  sides  of  the  pool  in  the  pulpit 
to  rooms  in  the  basement,  and  also  a  flight  from  each  door  of 
the  pulpit  outside  for  the  pastor.  There  are  dressing  rooms 
where  persons  descend  for  the  purpose  of  dressing  after  bap- 
tism— one  for  ladies  and  the  other  for  gentlemen.  There  is 
a  third  room  in  the  basement  for  the  use  of  the  pastor.  All  of 
these  rooms  will  be  used  for  Sunday  school  class  rooms  also. 
The  third  room  is  under  the  pulpit  formed  by  the  bay  window 
and  will  be  for  the  pastor's  dressing-room.  This  arrangement 
adds  much  convenience  and  comfort  to  the  church.  The  disci- 
pline meetings  of  the  officers  are  held  in  these  rooms,  and  also 
other  committee  meetings  of  the  church. 

The  cost  of  the  extension  was  $12,000,  making  the  valuation 
of  the  church  not  less  than  $75,000.  Adding  to  this  $5,000  of 
societies'  prayer  houses,  will  make  $80,000. 

The  members  were  divided  into  clubs  for  the  purpose  of 
raising  money,  both  for  the  church  extension  and  the  centennial 
celebration.  The  following  is  a  list  of  clubs  and  the  amount 
each  gave  for  the  church  extension. 

Rev.  George  Liele  Club — Deacon  J.  H.  Brown,  President; 
Mrs.  Nancy  Gibbons,  Vice-President;  Miss  L.  L.  Carey,  Treas- 


lJfJf  History  of  the  First 


urer;  A.  M.  Monroe,  Secretary.  These  were  children  from  the 
Sunday  School.     They  gave  for  church  extension  $7.00. 

Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall  Club— Eev.  E.  K.  Love,  D.  D., 
President;  Mr.  Freeman  Trotty,  Vice-President;  A.  G.  Brown, 
Secretary;  Mrs.  Susie  O.  Graham,  Treasurer.  They  gave  for 
church  extension  $819.46. 

Eev.  W.  J.  Campbell  Club — Deacon  F.  J.  Wright,  President ; 
Deacon  E.  C.  Johnson,  Vice-President;  Mr.  John  H.  Davis, 
Secretary;  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Wyly,  Treasurer.  They  gave  for 
church  extension  $750.88. 

Motto  Club— Rev.  W.  G.  Clark,  President;  A.  M.  Williams, 
Vice-President;  Deacon  J.  H.  Brown,  Secretary;  Deacon 
March  Haines,  Chaplain ;  Mrs.  L.  A.  Beatty,  Treasurer.  They 
gave  for  church  extension  $430.55. 

Rev.  George  Gibbons  Club,  ~No.  1 — Mrs.  D.  W.  Gibbons,  Presi- 
dent; Mrs.  Phyllis  Jenkins,  Vice-President;  Mr.  D.  W.  Gib- 
bons, Secretary ;  Mrs.  Mary  Brown,  Treasurer.  They  gave  for 
church  extension  $49.95. 

Rev.  George  Gibbons  Club,  No.  2 — Deacon  John  C.  Haber- 
sham, President;  David  Blake,  Vice-President;  Mr.  W.  B. 
Jenkins,  Secretary ;  Mrs.  Leah  Garvin,  Treasurer.  They  gave 
for  church  extension  $464.89. 

The  Rev.  E.  K.  Love  Club — Deacon  R.  H.  Johnson,  Presi- 
dent; Richard  Law,  Vice-President;  James  Brown,  Secretary; 
Mrs.  Hannah  Glen,  Treasurer.  They  gave  for  church  extension 
$155.92. 

The  Harmony  Club — Deacon  Alexander  Rannair,  President ; 
May  Hunter,  Vice-President;  James  Small,  Secretary;  Mrs. 
Lydia  Small,  Treasurer.  They  gave  for  church  extension 
$92.55. 

Ruel  Club — Miss  S.  C.  Jenkins,  President ;  Mrs.  J.  C.  Wade, 
Vice-President;  Mr.  R.  B.  Heggs,  Secretary;  Mrs.  J.  C.  Love, 
Treasurer.     They  gave  for  church  extension  $98.76. 

The  M.  C.  Johnson  Club — Mr.  M.  S.  Anderson,  President; 
William  Boyd,  Vice-President ;  Mrs.  Sarah  Burke,  Secretary ; 
Mrs.  M.  C.  Johnson,  Treasurer.  They  gave  for  church  exten- 
sion $65.65. 

The  M.  L.  Jackson  Club — Mr.  Henry  Minis,  President ;  Mrs. 
E.  F.  Brown,  Vice-President;  Benjamin  R.  Young,  Clerk;  Mrs. 
Sarah  Butler,  Treasurer.  They  gave  for  church  extension 
$62.10. 

The  Mount  Zion  Club — Deacon  F.  M.  Williams,  President; 
Deacon  P.  A.  Glenn,  Vice-President;  Mr.  Richard  Jenkins, 
Clerk ;  Mrs.  S.  R.  Williams,  Treasurer.  They  gave  for  church 
extension  $263.20. 


African  Baptist   Church.  1J/.5 


The  C.  L.  DeLamotta  Organ  Club — Mrs.  Matilda  M.  Monroe, 
President;  Miss  Lula  Hines,  Secretary;  Miss  L.  L.  Carey, 
Treasurer.     They  gave  for  church  extension  836.65. 

The  Daughters  of  Zion  Society — Deacon  J.  C.  Habersham, 
President;  L.  J.  Pettigrew,  Vice-President;  C.  H.  Ebbs,  Clerk; 
Mrs.  S.  R.  Williams,  Treasurer.  They  gave  for  church  exten- 
sion $62.00. 

The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association — B.  C.  Creamer,  Pres- 
ident; L.  A.  Washington,  Clerk;  Henry  Emory,  Treasurer. 
They  gave  for  church  extension  865.00. 

The  Mungin  Centennial  Club — Dittsmersville.  They  gave 
for  church  extension  827.00. 

The  Glassco  Jackson  Centennial  Club,  Southville — W.  G. 
Clark,  President.    They  gave  for  church  extension  83.00. 

The  Ladies'  Laurel  Branch  Society — D.  Mitchell,  President : 
L.  J.  Pettigrew,  Secretary.  They  gave  for  church  extension 
$15.00. 

Ladies'  Zion  Watchman  Society — Mrs.  Claranda  Jenkins. 
President ;  Mrs.  Amanda  Pettigrew,  Vice-President ;  Mrs.  Amelia 
Bing,  Treasurer.     They  gave  for  church  extension  $10.00. 

Zion  Watchman  Society — L.  J.  Pettigrew,  President ;  J.  H. 
Coffee,  Secretary.     They  gave  for  church  extension  $5.00. 

The  Baptist  Christian  Circle  Association  Society — Mr.  Chas. 
Green,  President;  Mrs.  Betsy  Williams,  Vice-President;  Mr. 
Albert  P.  Williams,  Secretary;  Mrs.  Ella  Mulligan,  Treasurer. 
They  gave  for  church  extension  $20.00. 

The  Ladies'  Union  League  Society — Mr.  William  Logan, 
President;  Mr.  E.  Collins,  Vice-President ;  Mrs.  Rachel  Logan, 

Treasurer ;  ,  Secretary.     They  gave  for  church  extension 

$15.00. 

The  Sons  of  Zion  Society — Deacon  F.  M.  Williams,  Presi- 
dent; Deacon  J.  C.  Habersham,  Vice-President;  Deacon  J.  H. 
Hooker,  Treasurer ;  Deacon  A.  Rannair,  Secretary.  They  gave 
for  church  extension  $20.00. 

The  Lone  Star  Cadet  Branch  Society — Mr.  Abram  Bowens, 
President;  Mr.  H.  F.  Griffin,  Vice-President;  Mrs.  Bina  Lewis, 
Treasurer ;  L.  A.  Washington,  Secretary.  They  gave  for  church 
extension,  $10.00. 

The  United  Tie  of  Brotherhood — Mr.  S.  Bowman,  President : 
Mr.  James  A.  Williams,  Vice-President;  Mr.  George  Bacon, 
Treasurer:  Mr.  James  P.  Green,  Secretary.  They  gave  the 
church  $10.00. 

Capernaum  Society — Mrs.  Anna  Gibbons,  President;  Mrs. 
Phiby  Butler,  Vice-President ;  D.  W.  Gibbons,  Secretary ;  Mrs. 
Mary  Brown,  Treasurer.     They  gave  the  church  $20.00. 


lJf.6  History  of  the  First 


The  Ladies'  Union  of  St.  Paul  Society. — Mrs.  D.  Grant,  Presi- 
dent; Mrs.  Amelia  Bing,  Vice-President;  Mr.  Peter  Denigal, 
Secretary ;  Mrs.  Rebecca  Richards,  Treasurer.  They  gave  the 
church  $35.00. 

Sons  and  Daughters  of  Abraham  Society  gave  the  church 
$5.00. 

The  Lilie  Union  Society — Mrs.  R.  Quarterman,  President; 
S.  A.  Nichols,  Vice-President;  B.  R.  Young.  Secretary;  Mrs. 
Caroline  Low,  Treasurer.     They  gave  the  church  $5.00. 

The  S.  C.  Mutual  Aid  Society— Mrs.  M.  A.  Wylly,  Presi- 
dent ;  Mrs.  Julia  Winston,  Vice-President ;  Mrs.  Charles  Lewis, 
Secretary;  Mrs.  Charlotte  Fields,  Treasurer.  They  gave  the 
church  $20.00. 

Building  Club  No.  1 — Mrs.  Sophia  Verdier,  President ;  A.  M. 
Williams,  Secretary.     They  gave  the  church  S47.00. 

The  Benevolent  Association  gave  the  church  82.00. 

The  Benevolent  Aiding  Association — M.  E.  Nichols,  Presi- 
dent; B.  R.  Young,  Vice-President;  J.  A.  Nichols,  Secretary; 
S.  Bizzars,  Treasurer.     They  gave  the  church  $2.50. 

The  Mechanics'  Branch  gave  the  church  $5.00. 

The  St.  James  Macedonia  Society  gave  the  church  $5.00. 

Savannah  Light  Infantry  Branch  gave  the  church  $2.50 

The  Ladies'  Brick  Layer  Society — John  Jackson,  President ; 
Maria  Loyd,  Vice-President;  Samuel  Loyd,  Secretary;  Lydia 
A.  Jackson,  Treasurer.     Thej^  gave  the  church  $1.50. 

The  Ladies'  and  Gentlemen's  Social  Society — Mrs.  Annie 
Jackson,  President;  Rebecca  Brox,  Vice-President;  Mr.  Robert 
H.  Lewis,  Secretary;  Mrs.  Hester  Haynes,  Treasurer.  They 
gave  the  church  $10.00. 

Brampton  Club — Bro.  Wm.  Moore,  President.  They  gave 
for  church  extension  $21.95. 

The  Children's  Israelite  Society — Mr.  March  Houston,  Presi- 
dent; Mrs.  Annie  Burk,  Vice-President;  Mr.  A.  G.  Brown,  Sec- 
retary; Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  D.  D.,  Treasurer.  They  gave  the 
church  $10.00. 

The  Young  Ladies'  Select  Branch  of  the  Israelite  Society — 
Mr.  March  Houston,  President;  Mrs.  Mira  Miller,  Vice-Presi- 
dent; Miss  Lou  Hines,  Secretary;  Mrs.  Mamie  Hines,  Treasu- 
rer.    They  gave  the  church  $2.50. 

East  Savannah,  Thunderbolt  and  Zion  Hill  Societies  gave 
their  moneys  through  the  Mount  Zion  Club,  already  referred  to. 
Southville  and  Dittsmersville  gave  their  moneys  through  the 
George  Gibbons  Club,  No.  2,  already  mentioned.  Each  and 
every  club  vied  with  the  other  as  to  which  would  do  most  for 
the  church. 


African  Baptist  Church.  147 

This  wise  division  of  the  church  into  clubs  so  inspired  the 
members  and  united  their  hearts  and  efforts  in  the  work  that 
they  did  the  work  with  an  ease  surprising  to  themselves  and  to 
the  whole  community.  This  generalship  will  class  Rev.  Mr. 
Love  with  the  ablest  pastors  of  the  country.  Mr.  Love  con- 
tended that  the  church  was  able  to  do  her  work  without  beg- 
ging a  dime  out  of  the  city,  and  that  he  did  not  mean  to  beg 
out  of  Savannah,  nor  to  beg  a  single  church  in  the  city.  He 
kept  his  word  and  the  work  was  done  and  paid  for  without  a 
day's  delay  in  the  hands  gettiug  their  money  or  the  work  sus- 
pended. When  the  work  was  completed  the  church  owed 
but  a  trifle.  The  pleasure  of  the  members  at  the  leadership 
of  Mr.  Love  was  indescribable.  During  Mr.  Love's  labors  to 
enlarge  and  beautify  the  church,  his  amiable  christian  wife  ren- 
dered him  incalculable  service.  She  was  an  earnest,  faithful, 
able,  loving  and  punctual  Sunday  school  teacher.  Whoever 
else  might  be  absent,  Mrs.  Love  was  sure  to  be  present.  She 
was  a  conspicuous  member  of  the  Ruel  club,  and  was  its  treas- 
urer. She  entered  heartily  into  her  husband's  work,  sharing 
heroically  his  sorrows  and  his  joys.  She  was  humble,  loving, 
faithful  and  obedient  as  a  wife,  and  it  is  doubtful  that  a  minis- 
ter ever  had  a  better  wife.  She  was  converted  in  April,  1879, 
in  Thomasville,  Ga.,  and  was  baptized  by  Rev.  E.  K.  Love  the 
first  Sunday  in  May,  1879,  and  on  the  28th  of  October,  of  the 
same  year,  they  were  married.  She  is  a  devoted  christian, 
mother  and  wife. 

Mr.  Love  inaugurated  a  children's  day,  on  which  he  preached 
to  the  children  at  11  a.  m.  He  had  young  boys  for  deacons  who 
were  members  of  the  church,  and  boys  and  girls  in  the  choir, 
most  of  whom  were  members  of  the  church.  Little  Etta  Mon- 
roe, the  daughter  of  Mrs.  M.  M.  Monroe,  was  organist,  and  lit- 
tle Mary  C.  Johnson,  Jr.,  was  leading  soprano  singer.  Her 
voice  was  remarkably  sweet.  This  soon  became  the  most  inter- 
esting service  of  the  church,  and  perhaps  did  more  good  than 
any  other  service  of  the  church.  The  elder  people  were  asked 
on  this  day  to  go  up  in  the  galleries  and  the  children  occupied 
the  main  audience  room.  In  this  way  Rev.  Dr.  Love  endeav- 
ored to  impress  the  parents  that  they  would  ere  long  be  in 
heaven  and  looking  upon  their  children  filling  the  places  which 
once  they  occupied  while  on  earth,  and  to  impress  the  children 
that  their  parents  would  soon  be  gone  and  that  they  would 
have  to  take  the  place  of  their  parents  and  carry  on  the  work 
of  the  Lord,  but  that  their  parents  would  be  watching  them 
from  the  balconies  of  heaven. 


lJfS  History  of  the  First 


Too  much  can  not  be  said  in  praise  of  Mrs.  M.  C.  Johnson  for 
organizing  many  of  the  young  boys  and  girls  into  a  society* 
known  as  "The  Young  Christian  Workers."  This  society  did 
a  noble  work  for  the  church,  and  acquired  thereby  the  habit  of 
giving  and  making  for  the  Lord.  Mrs.  Johnson  was  in  full 
sympathy  with  Rev.  Dr.  Love,  and  did  as  much,  if  not  more, 
to  help  him  in  his  work  as  any  other  member  of  the  church. 
She  said  but  little,  but  she  worked  much  and  brought  forth 
much  fruit. 

The  church  under  Rev.  Dr.  Love's  administration  did  more 
mission  and  educational  work  than  ever  before  in  its  history. 
In  1886  the  church  sent  up  to  the  convention  that  met  at  Quit- 
man $404,  and  in  1887  to  the  convention  at  Brunswick  $342. 
In  1886  it  sent  up  to  the  Mount  Olive  Baptist  Association 
$91.96,  and  in  1887  $64.  This  was  $901.96  in  two  years.  Add- 
ing to  this  incidental  missionary  collections  and  what  was  given 
to  churches  for  building  and  liquidating  debts  and  to  traveling 
preachers  will  go  far  towards  swelling  the  amount  to  $2,000. 
Besides  this,  the  church  provides  for  many  of  her  poor  saints 
and  buries  them.  And  still,  besides  this,  her  current  expenses 
are  more  than  $200  per  month.  This  church  has  not  a  superior 
in  liberality  in  existence.  This  church  prides  itself  in  taking 
care  of  its  pastor.  Whatever  he  wants,  he  has  only  to  hint  it. 
Its  financial  record  can  not  be  excelled.  It  usually  pays  all  of 
its  debts  monthly  without  any  strain. 

The  congregation  is  orderly  during  service,  and  it  is  the 
rarest  thing  imaginable  for  the  preacher  to  have  to  call  for 
order.     This  is  due  to  the  early  training  of  the  fathers. 

The  church  building  is  kept  neat.  The  sexton,  Mr.  James 
Richards,  is  as  attentive  to  the  church  as  a  loving  wife  to  a  sick 
husband. 

The  administration  of  Rev.  Love  has  been  mainly  character- 
ized by  peace  and  good  feeling.  The  Gibbons  people,  about  100 
in  number,  who  went  off  during  the  trouble  of  1877,  and  who 
were  organized  into  a  church  about  seven  miles  from  Savannah 
by  Rev.  U.  L.  Houston,  without  letters  and  at  the  emphatic 
protest  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church,  returned  under  the 
administration  of  Rev.  Dr.  Love.  The  so-called  church  was 
dissolved,  and  the  brethren  returned  to  the  church  again.  It 
was  a  day  of  rejoicing.  Many  others  that  had  r.ot  returned 
with  the  body  on  the  17th  of  February,  1884,  returned  under 
the  administration  of  Rev.  Dr.  Love,  amounting  to  several 
hundred.  This  showed  Rev*.  Dr.  Love's  ability  to  win  the 
hearts  of  men.     The  members  were  never  more  attentive. 


African  Baptist  Church.  149 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

The  Societies  of  the  Church — Their  Membership— The  Value 
of  Their  Property  and  Their  Condition. 

THE   SOCIETIES   OR   PRAYER   HOUSES   OF   THE   CHURCH. 

East  Savannah  Society  (prayer  houses  they  are  properly,  but 
they  are  called  "Societies'')  is  about  three  miles  east  of  Savan- 
nah. It  has  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  members.  Mr.  James 
Lawry  is  leader  of  this  society.  He  is  a  faithful,  earnest  lead- 
er, and  is  very  much  beloved  by  the  people.  This  humble  man 
watches  over  the  people  of  this  society  in  love  and  keeps  before 
them  the  duty  they  owe  to  the  church.  He  takes  monthly  col- 
lections and  turns  them  over  to  the  church  through  Deacon  P. 
A.  Glenn,  who  visits  them  once  a  month.  This  is  a  strong  lib- 
eral society.  Their  property  is  worth  $900.  Mr.  L.  J.  Petti- 
grew  and  Miss  Rebecca  G.  Houston  keep  up  a  flourishing  Sun- 
day school  at  this  house  of  worship. 

Eastville  Society  is  about  two  miles  east  of  Savannah.  It 
has  38  members.  Mr.  John  Byrd  is  leader  of  this  society.  He 
is  an  humble,  faithful,  loving  and  God-fearing  man.  He  is  also 
a  member  of  the  choir  of  the  church.  He  is  very  active  and 
attentive.  From  this  little  society  he  brings  in  more  money  to 
the  church  than  any  other  society  connected  with  the  church. 
He  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  extension  of  the  church,  and  en- 
thused his  people  with  the  same  burning  zeal  that  was  ablaze  in 
his  own  bosom.  He  is  a  great  help  and  comfort  to  the  pastor. 
Mr.  Byrd  keeps  this  society  peaceable  and  quiet  and  they  give 
the  church  very  little  trouble.  This  society  reflects  credit  upon 
the  church  and  the  church  has  just  cause  to  be  proud  of  it. 
The  property  is  worth  $350. 

The  Thunderbolt  Society  is  about  four  miles  from  Savannah. 
It  has  125  members.  Mr.  Morris  Pray  is  leader  of  this  society. 
This  is  a  quiet  society  and  causes  the  church  very  little  trouble. 
The  people  of  this  society  have  a  very  good  house  of  worship, 
which  is  worth  $1,000.  It  is  in  a  beautiful  location.  They  do 
well  and  come  into  church  on  communion  days.  They  have  a 
flourishing  Sunday  school.  Misses  Marion  E.  Houston  and 
Rosa  L.  Brown  go  out  on  Sundays  and  assist  Superintendent 
F.  Mcintosh  in  teaching. 


150  History  of  the  First 


Lover's  Lane  Society  is  about  two  miles  from  Savannah.  It 
has  60  members.  Mr.  Adam  Houston  is  the  leader  of  this 
society.  He  is  a  faithful,  earnest  man.  He  is  very  dutiful 
and  attentive  to  the  church.  The  society  is  lively  and  at  times 
very  troublesome  to  the  church,  the  members  (many  of  them) 
being  often  before  the  church  for  fighting.  Mr.  Houston  is  a 
good  leader  and  faithful  to  both  the  society  and  to  the  church. 
This  society  has  been  of  great  service  to  the  church  in  its  work 
of  extending  the  church  edifice.  Deacon  F.  M.  Williams  visits 
this  society,  and  its  monthly  collections  are  turned  over  to  the 
church  through  him. 

The  Dittsmersville  Society  is  about  two  and  one-half  miles 
south  of  Savannah.  It  has  50  members.  Mr.  John  Morrel  is 
leader  of  this  society.  It  is  a  very  earnest,  energetic  society. 
Mr.  Morrel  has  proved  a  success  as  a  leader.  The  success  of 
this  society  is  largely  due  to  Deacon  J.  C.  Habersham  and  Li- 
centiate W.  G.  Clark,  who  very  often  visit  it  and  exhort  the 
people  to  active  church  work  and  pious  lives.  Mr.  Clark  also 
keeps  up  a  flourishing  Sunday  school  there. 

Sand  Fly  Station  Society  is  six  miles  from  Savannah.  Mr. 
Tony  Giles  is  leader  of  this  society.  This  society  has  13  mem- 
bers. It  is  a  quiet,  loving  band  and  gives  the  church  very  little 
trouble.  Deacon  F.  M.  Williams  visits  this  society,  and  its 
monthly  collections  are  turned  over  to  the  church  through  him. 
The  church  is  proud  of  this  society.  Mr.  Giles,  as  leader,  exer- 
cises a  great  influence  over  the  members  and  is  very  much 
beloved  by  them.  He  is  faithful  and  attentive  to  the  church. 
The  property  is  worth  $150. 

Wheat  Hill  Society  is  four  miles  from  Savannah.  It  has  20 
members.  Mr.  A.  Houston  is  leader  of  this  society.  Deacon 
J.  H.  Brown  visits  this  society.  It  is  a  quiet  society,  and  very 
seldom  has  any  cases  for  church  discipline.  They  send  in  their 
monthly  collections  through  Deacon  Brown.  The  property  is 
worth  $250. 

South  Valley  Society  is  fourteen  miles  from  Savannah.  Mr. 
David  Solomon  is  leader  of  this  society.  It  seldom,  if  ever,  has 
any  cases  for  discipline.  They  are  few  in  number,  and  are 
quiet  and  loving.  They  don't  give  much  money  because  they 
are  very  generally  poor,  but  out  of  the  little  they  make  they 
give  the  church  some.     It  has  35  members. 

Zion  Hill  Society  is  about  six  miles  from  Savannah.  Mr.  J. 
Jordan  is  leader  here.  The  society  numbers  65  members. 
They  have  but  little  trouble  among  themselves  and  are  an 
earnest  and  faithful  band.  The  property  is  worth  $300.  They 
are  liberal  and  give  money  to  the  church  quite  often.     In  the 


African  Baptist   Church.  151 

work  of  church  extension  they  aided  nobly.  Deacon  F.  M. 
Williams  watches  over  this  society  as  deacon,  and  also  visits 
them  occasionally.  Mr.  Jordan  is  an  earnest  man,  and  very 
much  beloved  by  the  members. 

Sabine  Field  Society  is  three  miles  from  Savannah.  Mr. 
Richard  Gibbons  is  the  leader.  The  old  man  is  also  a  licensed 
preacher  of  the  church.  For  years  he  has  been  a  licensed 
preacher  and  leader  of  this  society.  He  is  a  good  man,  and  the 
members  are  devoted  to  him.  This  society  numbers  150  mem- 
bers. It  does  not  give  very  much  money  to  the  church,  but  it 
is  a  quiet,  loving  band.     The  property  is  worth  $125. 

Brampton  Society  is  three  miles  from  Savannah.  Mr.  Isaac 
Charlton  is  leader  of  this  society.  It  numbers  65  members.  The 
property  is  worth  $200.  It  was  at  this  place,  one  hundred  years 
ago,  that  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  was  organized.  The 
old  spot  is  very  dear  to  the  church.  It  has  not  been  out  of 
the  possession  of  the  church  as  a  place  of  worship  for  one  hun- 
dred years. 

Southville  Society  is  two  miles  south  of  Savannah.  It  num- 
bers about  50  members.  Mr.  Jack  Jackson  is  the  leader  of 
this  society.  The  property  is  worth  $300.  Deacon  J.  C.  Hab- 
ersham watches  over  it,  and  Licentiate  W.  Gr.  Clark  does  great 
service  out  here  also.  The  members  here  are  very  quiet  and 
give  the  church  very  little  trouble.  They  are  liberal  and  did 
well  in  giving  the  church  money  during  its  efforts  to  extend  its 
building.  The  money  was  reported  through  Deacon  Haber- 
sham. 

Gibbons  Society  is  seven  miles  from  Savannah.  Mr.  Jan- 
uary Mack  is  leader  of  this  society.  This  society  was  famous 
for  its  noble  deeds  in  the  days  of  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell. 
These  good  people  were  captured  by  Rev.  U.  L.  Houston,  and 
without  letters  from  the  First  African  Baptist  Church,  were  or- 
ganized into  a  church  during  the  troubles  of  the  church,  which 
began  in  1877.  They  returned  to  the  church  in  1888,  and  upon 
dissolving  the  so-called  church  and  making  christian  confession 
they  were  restored.  They  number  about  200  members.  The 
property  is  worth  $900.  Mr.  Mack  is  a  faithful  man  and  is 
very  much  beloved  by  the  church  and  the  society. 

The  Richmond  Society  is  seven  miles  from  Savannah.  Mr. 
James  Mai  is  leader  of  this  society.  This  society  numbers  15 
members.  The  property  is  worth  $75.  Deacon  Alexander 
Rannair  visits  this  society  and  watches  over  it.  It  is  a  quiet, 
loving  band  and  causes  very  little  trouble.  According  to  their 
means  and  number,  they  gave  quite  liberally  to  the  church  in 
its  endeavor  to  extend  its  edifice. 


152  History  of  the  First 


These  societies  are  all  members  of  the  church,  but  are  united 
simply  to  hold  regularly  prayer  meeting,  because  of  their  dis- 
tance from  the  church.  The  members  are  expected  to  come 
into  the  church  on  every  first  Sunday  to  communion,  and  on 
third  Sunday  to  conference. 

The  total  worth  of  the  property  of  these  prayer  houses  is 
($5,000)  five  thousand  dollars. 

The  First  African  Baptist  Church,  because  of  its  liberality  to 
the  State  work,  was  voted  the  banner  church  of  Georgia.  It 
was  given  a  beautiful  banner  in  token  of  the  appreciation  in 
which  the  church  is  held  by  the  State. 

CHRISTIAN   BANNER. 

Prepared  by  Rev.  C.  H.  Lyon  for  the  occasion  of  presentation  of  the  banner  to  the. 
First  African  Baptist  Chuich. 

Tune  C.  M. 

This  banner,  love,  is  Christ  the  Lord's, 

And  in  His  name  we  hoist 
Aloud  the  battle  cry  against 

All  hostile  to  our  host. 

This  army  terrible  shall  be 

While  under  this  banner  led  ; 
And  in  this  sign  shall  christians  prove 

Triumphant  through  their  head. 

This  blood-stained  banner  is  unfurled, 

Upheld  by  faithful  hands, 
In  true  defense  and  great  display 

Of  the  pure  gospel  band. 

This  mighty  army  of  our  God 

Shall  wave  their  banner  high, 
Till  Satan's  army  vanquished  be 

And  christians'  reign  be  wide. 

The  following  sermon  by  Rev.  C.  H.  Lyons,  corresponding 
secretary  of  the  Missionary  Baptist  Convention  of  Georgia,  on 
presenting  the  banner  to  the  church,  was  very  interesting  and 
filled  the  church  with  great  joy. 

THE  CHRISTIAN  BANNER. 

A  Sermon  Delivered  on  the  Occasion  of  Presenting  the  Prize  Ban- 
ner to  First  (A.)  Baptist  Church,  Savannah,  Ga.,  Feb.  28th, 
1888,  by  Rev.  C.  H.  Lyons,  Pastor  Mount  Olive  Church,  At- 
lanta, Georgia. 

There  are  three  words  of  Hebrew  origin  of  a  kindred  nature 
expressing  different  shades  of  meaning  of  a  banner.  Oth  repre- 
sents-a  small  sign  or  banner ;  nes  an  ensign,  a  token  of  a  thing ; 
and  degel  a  flag,  a  banner ;  a  standard  from  the  verbal  form, 
dagal,  to  cover,  to  glitter  and  to  shine,  or  lift  up  a  banner ; 
and  the  Latin  vexillum  is  also  expressive,  which  is  rendered  a 


African  Baptist   Church.  153 

military  ensign,  said  to  be  a  red  flag  placed  in  front  of  the  gen- 
eral's tent,  indicating  to  march  forward. 

The  important  and  emphatic  stress  placed  upon  our  subject 
is  brought  out  forcibly  in  the  three  significant  passages  here 
alluded  to. 

"Lift  ye  up  a  banner  upon  the  mountain.'' — Isa.,  xiii,  2.  The 
wrath  and  fury  of  God  threatened  against  Babylon  are  here  in- 
dicated. God  gives  a  banner  to  those  who  fear  him  to  secure 
their  triumph  and  betoken  his  approving  presence  with  them. 

In  the  name  of  our  God  we  will  set  up  our  banner  as  an  in- 
spiration to  wage  war  in  defence  and  in  honor  of  the  name  and 
cause  of  God,  and  acknowledge  that  all  possible  success  de- 
pends upon  the  name  and  power  of  God. 

The  described  nature  of  this  banner  evidently  portrays  di- 
vinity. His  banner  over  me  was  love.  God  is  love.  Terrible 
as  an  army  with  banners,  for  the  Lord  thy  God  is  among  you ; 
thy  God  is  terrible. 

Each  army  must  have  its  panoply,  leaders  and  uniforms  and 
flags  or  banners.     Jesus  Christ  is  all  these  to  His  army. 

I.  Let  us  now  consider  the  symbolical  signification  of  the 
banner. 

'Tis  not  merely  the  indication  of  war. 

1.  But 'tis  a  sign  of  distinction  and  protection  of  the  army. 
We  have  defined  the  original  to  mean  to  cover.  All  under 
this  banner,  whether  soldiers  or  caravans,  are  covered,  de- 
fended, distinguished  from  other  armies  or  dangers.  The  twelve 
tribes  had  each  a  small  banner  styled  standard,  owing  to  its 
smallness,  but  each  three  tribes  had  a  banner,  when  combined, 
which  defended  and  protected  them  both  as  a  caravan  and  an 
army. 

When  his  banner  was  hoisted  all  soldiers  and  travelers  of 
like  color  and  aims  assembled  under  it  in  loyalty  to  their  com- 
manding chief.  In  our  late  civil  but  bloody  war  the  flags 
marked  distinctions  between  the  secessionists  and  unionists 
above  anything  else ;  and  in  pur  christian  war  Jesus  Christ 
was  His  people's  ensign  ;  keeps  the  differentia  intelligible  from 
all  other  forms  of  religious  creeds.  All  are  known  and  distin- 
guished as  christians,  not  by  their  form  or  profession,  but  by 
their  likeness  and  imitation  of  and  their  identity  with  Christ 
alone.  For  by  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them.  This  army 
and  caravan  are  covered  and  protected  by  Jesus. 

And  any  cause  of  distinction  between  any  heterogeneous  and 
homogeneous  elements  or  classes  is  a  virtual  protection  and  de- 
fence of  the  merited  parts.  Distinction  of  colors  and  principles 
makes   each  more   valuable   and   admirable.      Therefore   the 


154  History  of  the  First 


distinctive  doctrines  and  principles  of  the  Bible  should  be  more 
systematically  taught  and  urged.  The  distinguishing  of  truth 
from  error,  wrong  from  right,  is  the  great  mental  and  moral 
project  of  this  host,  and  all  needed  protection  and  distinction 
are  found  in  a  wise  and  proper  assembling  under  this  gospel 
banner. 

The  Jewish  army  and  caravan  apprehended  neither  defeat 
nor  danger  as  long  as  their  Shekinah  was  visible  over  them. 
The  christian  army  has  no  just  fears  while  it  trusts  and  owns 
Jesus,  its  loving  and  glorious  ensign  or  banner. 

2.  It  means  to  illuminate  and  attract  the  army  to  the  center 
or  union.  The  significance  of  the  word  as  alluded  to  means  to 
glitter,  to  shine. 

The  people  of  that  day  traveled  mainly  by  night  to  avoid  the 
fearful  heat  of  the  sun  ;  therefore,  had  banners  prepared  to 
burn  wood  like  a  stove,  to  give  light  by  which  to  travel,  which 
burned  and  shone  all  night.  The  beacon  lights  were  placed  on 
hills  and  mountains  to  aid  the  caravans  and  armies.  These 
lights  were  of  vast  importance  to  the  physical  eye.  But  this 
banner  more  effulgently  reflects  the  divine  light  upon  the  path 
of  heaven.  'Twas  said  of  one  of  the  banner-bearers  that  he 
was  a  burning  and  shining  light.  Jesus,  our  banner,  is  the 
light  that  lights  every  man  that  comes  into  this  world  ;  and 
His  light  is  the  life  of  men.  Jesus  said,  as  long  as  I  am  in  the 
world ,  I  am  the  light  of  the  world.  What  a  glorious  and  lumi- 
nous banner !  It  penetrates  thick  and  repugnant  darkness,  and 
it  cannot  seize  it.     'Tis  incomprehensibly  wonderful. 

Light  naturally  and  officially  attracts  all  tangible  to  it.  The 
sun's  light  marshals  the  world  by  his  brilliant  beams  by  day 
and  reflected  rays  by  night.  The  revolution  and  vegetation  of 
the  earth  are  the  resultant  effects  of  his  light.  Our  world  is 
animated  and  influenced  by  light  from  the  highest  to  the  low- 
est order.  Is  it  at  all  surprising  that  all  in  the  mental,  moral 
and  religious  world  should  be  vastly  more  influenced  and  bene- 
fited by  holy  and  divine  light. 

Yea,  however  scattered  and  varied,  all  christians  center  their 
hopes  and  actions  in  Christ.  When  Moses  beheld  Jehovah  in 
the  burning  bush,  he  drew  to  him.  When  the  Magi  saw  the 
bright  morning  star,  they  came  in  diligent  and  immediate 
search  of  it.  When  the  introducer  of  the  christian  dispensation 
preached  repentance,  faith,  baptism  and  the  remission  of  sins, 
all  Judea  and  adjacent  countries  came  to  him.  Jesus,  our 
banner,  says:  "If  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth  I  will  draw  all 
men  unto  me.'" 


African  Baptist   Church.  155 

Moses  said  unto  Him,  "  Shall  the  gathering  of  the  people  be?" 
Let  this  Baptist  army  rally  around  this  banner  till  every  foe 
quits  the  field  and  Christ  becomes  Lord  indeed.  What  a  mar- 
velous, attractive  and  brilliant  banner. 

3.  It  is  a  sign  of  inspiration  to  war-like  actions.  A  banner 
which  distinguishes,  protects,  illuminates  and  attracts  its  army 
will  doubtless  serve  as  a  most  powerful  incentive  to  aggressive 
actions.  In  the  greatest  vicissitudes  it  brings  courage  and 
prompts  fortitude.  It  is  a  most  effective  dissuasion  against  all 
infidelity  of  the  trust  so  sacredly  committed,  and  a  very  pre- 
dominating buoyance  over  all  temptations  to  cowardice  and 
relaxations  of  warlike  gallantry.  It  was  common  for  the  Spar- 
tan mothers  to  exhort  their  sons  going  to  war  to  bring  home 
their  shields  or  be  brought  home  on  them. 

A  champion  soldier  said,  if  they  could  not  fight  in  the  sun- 
shine that  they  would  fight  in  the  shade.  Those  who  love  and 
honor  their  banner  die  to  prevent  its  trail  in  the  dust  or  suffer 
defeat.  Let  us,  O  army  of  God,  fight  very  mightily  and 
manfully  under  our  banner.  If  we  cant  contend  earnestly  and 
properly  for  that  old,  sacred  and  saving  faith,  once  for  all  de- 
livered to  the  saints  under  favorable  circumstances,  we  will 
fight  under  unfavorable,  for  we  will  fight  the  good  fight  of 
faith.  As  long  as  the  drum  and  bugle  of  war  are  heard,  this 
spangled  banner  seen,  the  heroes  will  never  yield  their  forts 
nor  quit  the  field.  We  will  wave  this  gospel  banner  high  into 
victory  grand,  Satan  and  his  host  defy,  and  shout  for  Daniel's 
band. 

II.  The  banner  awarded  to  this  army. 

God  gives  a  banner  to  them  that  fear  him  as  a  token  of  his 
love  for  his  army ! 

He  brought  me  to  His  banquet  house,  and  His  banner  over 
me  was  love.  The  prophet  declared  Jesus  to  be  an  ensign 
which  should  be  set  up  for  his  people.  Solomon  described  the 
banner  of  the  church  love,  and  the  same  to  be  chief  among  10,- 
000  and  altogether  lovely.  John  taught,  in  his  sublime  and 
safe  instruction,  that  Christ  was  love,  and  they  that  dwell  in 
love  dwelt  in  him.  How  clearly  and  beautifully  is  Jesus  de- 
clared the  banner  of  the  church.  The  banner  over  me  is  love. 
God  loves  His  church,  and  with  an  everlasting  love  He  draws  it. 
He  loves  the  gates  of  Zion  more  than  all  the  dwelling  places  of 
Jacob.  The  church  is  His  peculiar  and  royal  people ;  therefore 
he  gave  them  Jesus  as  a  banner.  What  incomprehensible  love 
and  grace  bestowed  upon  those  that  reverence  Him!  Christ 
loves  His  church  as  a  man  his  wife,  and  gave  Himself  for  it  that 
he  might  redeem  it  and  wash  it  by  His  blood  and  word.    Christ 


156  History  of  the  First 


is  the  manifestation  of  God's  love  for  his  army,  which  cannot 
be  misunderstood  or  over-estimated.  He  found  His  elect  as  of 
a  hidden  treasure  and  went  and  sold  His  heavenly  pleasures  and 
privileges  and  bought  them.  Paul  says,  "For  ye  know  the 
grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that,  though  he  was  rich,  yet  for 
your  sakes  he  became  poor,  that  ye  through  his  poverty  might 
become  rich."  What  interest,  sympathy  and  love  for  us! 
Greater  love  have  no  man  than  this :  that  a  man  lay  down  his 
life  for  his  Mends,  and  no  less  maximum  of  love  is  displayed  in 
giving  the  immaculate  of  heaven,  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God, 
to  this  army.     What  wondrous  love  is  this ! 

1.  In  token  of  his  presence  and  identity  with  His  army. 

The  Bible  is  made  increasingly  mysterious  in  attempting  to 
affirm  and  describe  the  intimate  and  indissoluble  union  be- 
tween Christ  and  His  people.  "He  that  believes  into  me  shall 
be  saved." 

Christ  says,  "  As  I  am  in  the  Father  and  the  Father  in  me, 
even  so  are  you  in  me  and  I  in  you."  "  I  am  the  vine,  and  ye 
are  the  branches."  "Abide  in  me,  and  let  my  word  abide  in 
you ;  then  ye  shall  ask  whatsoever  ye  will,  and  it  shall  be  done 
unto  you." 

Christ  and  His  church  are  identified  in  suffering.  For  he  that 
suffers  with  me  shall  reign  with  me.  In  His  crucifixion  we  were 
crucified  together  with  Christ.  In  His  death  and  resurrection ; 
for  as  we  bave  been  in  the  likeness  of  his  death,  even  so  shall 
we  be  in  the  likeness  of  His  resurrection.  Christ  is  all  and  in 
all  for  and  to  His  army.  The  psalmist  has  this  delightful  de- 
scription of  His  identity  and  interest  in  His  church :  "  God  is  in 
the  midst  of  her ;  she  shall  not  be  moved  ;  God  shall  help  her, 
and  that  right  early." 

The  way  and  dealings  of  God  are  in  His  sanctuary.  Jehovah 
promises  never  to  leave  nor  forsake  His  people.  Christ  assured 
His  disciples  that  where  two  or  three  gather  together  in  His 
name,  "I  am  in  the  midst  of  them."  This  army  is  aggrandized 
and  made  victorious  and  invincible  by  the  omnipotence,  om- 
niscience and  omnipresence  of  Christ,  our  banner.  God  was 
with  Adam  prior  to  his  fall  and  caused  him  to  superabound  in 
every  imaginable  felicity.  His  potent  hand  was  visible  in  the 
history  of  Noah  in  the  deluge.  He  manifested  himself  in  Jacob 
and  elevated  Joseph  to  the  second  power  of  the  Egyptian  king- 
dom, and  educated  Moses  in  all  the  learning  of  that  place  and 
day  to  qualify  him  for  the  leadership  of  his  people  from  captiv- 
ity to  freedom  and  the  promised  inheritance. 

And  the  stupendous  exhibition  and  identity  of  himself  in  the 
fiery  pillar  by  night  and  the  cloudy  pillar  by  day  to  lead  and 


African  Baptist   Church.  157 

protect  them.  The  apostles  were  sent  to  preach  with  this  glo- 
rious guaranty,  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway  even  to  the  end  of  the 
world.  Christ  is  not  merely  identified  with  His  people,  but  is 
their  banner,  implement  of  war,  their  panoply. 

2.  To  make  His  arm}r  terrible. 

Who  is  she  that  looks  forth  as  the  morning,  fair  as  the  moon, 
and  as  clear  as  the  sun,  and  as  terrible  as  an  army  with  ban- 
ners? The  progressive  periods  of  the  church  have  been  aptly 
described  in  the  above  figures.  She  was  of  the  vigor  and  bright- 
ness of  the  morning  in  the  patriarchal  periods.  She  was  of  the 
fairness  of  the  moon  in  the  typical  and  Mosaic  dispensation, 
and  in  the  christian  dispensation  was  the  clearness  and  bril- 
liancy of  the  sun ;  when  the  sun  of  righteousness  arose,  when 
the  scheme  of  redemption  and  benign  designs  of  the  gospel  are 
consummated,  she  shall  be  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners. 
Then  shall  she  be  beautiful  and  comely  like  Jerusalem  and  ter- 
rible as  an  army  with  banners.  Then  shall  she  become  more 
than  a  conqueror  through  the  defensive  presence  of  Christ. 

The  Jewish  army  with  four  banners  looks  appalling,  but  how 
much  more  vastly  frightening  shall  the  whole  •array  of  God,  out 
of  every  nation,  kindred  and  people,  be  when  their  white  horses 
and  riders  will  be  both  indicative  of  victory  and  innocence  in 
achieving  it. 

Her  four  chariots,  hailing  from  between  mountains  of  brass, 
with  her  horses  colored  in  destructive  and  dreadful  descriptions, 
how  terrible!  The  enemy  of  this  army  captured,  and  their 
kingdom  subdued  and  made  loyal  to  this  terrible  army,  all 
heretics  and  their  books  shall  be  priced  and  consumed. 

Before  this  army  shall  old  Lucifer  fall  like  lightning.  Gog 
and  Magog  shall  be  conquered.  The  old  dragon  and  his  angels 
shall  be  cast  into  hell.  , 

The  old  harlot  and  all  who  bear  her  image  will  be  judged 
and  put  into  unquenchable  fire,  there  to  wail  and  gnash  their 
teeth.  This  army  is  so  terrible  that  it  subdues  kingdoms, 
wroughts  righteousness,  obtains  promises,  stops  the  mouths  of 
lions,  quenches  the  violence  of  fire,  escapes  the  edge  of  the 
sword,  out  of  weakness  becomes  strong,  waxes  valiant  in  fight, 
and  turns  to  fight  the  armies  of  the  aliens. 

III.  The  banner  hoisted  by  this  army. 

In  the  name  of  our  God  we  will  set  up  our  banner,  indicative 
of  their  aggressiveness  to  battle.  There  may  be  questions  and 
problems  of  such  nature  and  magnitude  that  neither  our  phil- 
anthropy nor  our  magnanimity  can  effect  a  satisfying  solution 
without  the  force  of  war.  Then  our  flags,  declaring  war,  are 
raised ;  but  our  causes  of  conflict  are  always  such  as  to  render 


158  History  of  the  First 


the  christian  war  unavoidable  and  unceasing.  There  can  be  no 
retreat  nor  suspension  of  arms  upon  any  compromise  whatever. 

We  shall  have  christian  liberty  and  victory  or  death  in  pur- 
suit of  them.  This  trumpet  of  war  has  been  heard  with  no 
less  distinctness  through  all  generations  from  the  first  assault 
till  to-day.  There  are  entreaties  for  peace  and  cessation  of 
war,  but  our  lifted  banner  declares  there  shall  be  neither  peace 
nor  cessation  but  as  achieved  through  the  defeat  of  the  devil 
and  destruction  of  his  kingdom. 

The  pi'ophetic  trumpet  was  engaged  in  arousing  Zion  to 
awake  and  put  on  her  warlike  dress  and  strength.  The  apos- 
tolical council  was,  acquit  yourselves  like  men;  be  strong, 
fight.  We  are  importuned  to  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith  and 
war  a  good  warfare. 

As  the  seven  nations  preoccupied  the  land  of  Canaan,  prom- 
ised to  Israel,  so  vice,  immorality  and  demons  in  high  places 
obstruct  our  prosperity  ;  therefore  the  war  is  inevitable,  for  the 
stronger  and  greater  must  occupy. 

As  Joshua,  the  champion  warrior,  led  his  army  to  victory 
and  emancipation,  much  more  completely  will  Jesus,  our 
Joshua,  lead  this  army  into  the  defeat  of  Satan,  destruction  of 
sin,  victory  and  everlasting  freedom.  The  implements,  ammu- 
nition and  causes  of  war  are  the  same.  Let  the  war-cry  be 
heard  aloud  :  "To  war !  to  war  !  ye  army  of  the  living  God, 
to  war!  "  Never  think  the  victory  won,  nor  lay  thy  armor 
down,  for  thy  arduous  work  will  not  be  done  till  you  obtain 
your  crown  or  prize. 

Then  fight  on,  my  soul,  agonizingly  till  death  relieve  you 
from  the  field.  What  means  this  uncompromising  outcry  and 
excitement  of  battle  and  out-spread  banner  to  be  displayed  be- 
cause of  the  truth  ? 

A  certain  renowned  man  declared  that  in  comparison  with 
all  things  truth  is  the  most  weighty ;  in  weight,  therefore,  all 
things  are  chaff  compared  with  truth,  and  in  nature,  all  things 
fiction ;  truth  underlies  every  virtue,  crowns  all  the  worthy 
and  is  the  chief  constituent  of  every  grandeur.  God  is  truth  ; 
the  infinite  attribute  of  Deity  is  truth  ;  the  Bible  is  the  revela- 
tion of  divine  truth  ;  the  christian  church  is  the  ground  and 
pillar  of  the  truth ;  Christ  and  the  Holy  Spirit  are  the  prolific 
source  and  expounders  of  the  truth  ;  Paul  teaches  that  we  can 
do  nothing  against  the  truth,  but  all  for  the  truth  ;  therefore 
we  have  set  our  banner  in  defence  of  this  glorious  cause.  A 
battle  pitched  under  this  banner  is  actuated  by  the  greatest 
combination  of  inspirations.     The  raising  of  this  banner  means 


Ajrican  Baptist  Church.  159 

the  exultant  triumph  of  truth  and  the  cause  of  the  church,  of 
the  Bible  and  of  God. 

The  existence,  handiwork  and  dealings  of  God  have  been  so 
perfectly,  confutingly  established  and  acknowledged  that  the 
opponents  of  these  doctrines  have  underrated  themselves  in  the 
estimation  of  this  progressive  and  religious  world.  It  is  claimed 
by  this  class  of  opposers  that  science  so  antagonizes  religion 
that  much  of  religious  truth  is  false,  scientifically  considered. 
This  is  false  in  both  theory  and  practice,  for  one  poet  has  said, 
"For  truth  is  truth  to  the  end  of  reckoning." 

The  divinity  and  mystery  of  religious  truth  may  be  classed 
preposterous  when  alone  scanned  through  scientific  medium. 

But  this  is  a  frank  confession  of  the  imperfection  of  the  hu- 
man mind  to  conceive  or  account  for  the  actions  of  the  divine. 
The  truth  of  the  Bible  does  not  always  nor  essentially  fore- 
shadow visible  phenomenon  any  more  than  positive  precept 
presents  their  reasons  for  demands.  All  the  ever-existing  phe- 
nomenon for  the  deluge  is  now.  But  'tis  not  for  science  to  ex- 
plain why  the  flood  does  not  repeat  itself. 

But  the  God  of  science  has  decreed  and  declared  it  in  His 
word. 

la  these  and  many  other  things  the  scientists  overrate  them- 
selves and  the  philosophers  are  deluded  with  sophistry.  All 
truth  is  truth  whether  discovered  from  a  scientific  or  religious 
standpoint. 

And  each  scientific  discovery  will  corroborate  each  religious 
doctrine  in  proportion  to  their  designs  and  the  perfection  of 
man  to  draw  correct  conclusions  from  scientific  phenomenon. 

The  deluge  is  denied  on  so  termed  philosophical  and  scien- 
tific basis.  But  is  this  position  supported  scientifically  and  his- 
torically ? 

Is  there  more  scientific  phenomenon  for  the  swimming  ax 
than  for  the  deluge?  Any  more  for  the  dry  passage  of  the 
3,000,000  through  the  Bed  Sea  than  for  the  deluge?  Anymore 
for  the  water  becoming  wine  without  scientific  means  or  fer- 
menting operations  than  for  the  deluge  ? 

Are  all  these  false  because  they  are  not  your  deduction  from 
scientific  phenomenon  ? 

Is  it  any  part  of  erudition  or  wisdom  to  conceive  everything 
false  and  absurd  which  we  cannot  understand  the  philosophy 
of?  The  great  truth  is,  there  be  that  intimate  relation  sus- 
tained by  natural  and  religious  science,  that  the  better  we  un- 
derstand pure  science  the  better  we  appreciate  religion  and  God. 

The  Bible  is  the  text  and  law  book  of  the  church.  The  unity, 
oneness  and  consistency  of  this  church  would  be  a  foregone 


160  History  of  the.  First 


conclusion  should  its  precepts  and  principles  alone  be  adhered 
to.  For  the  oneness,  unity  and  victory  of  this  church  we  have 
set  up  our  banner,  builded  our  fortification  and  sacrificed  our 
lives  and  freedom  to  wage  war  till  all  conie  to  their  required 
combatableness. 

We  claim  that  there  is  no  want  of  fullness  nor  explicitness  of 
Bible  teaching  on  all  subjects  upon  which  we  differ ;  that  our 
difference  on  baptism  is  due  to  positive  ignorance  or  disregard 
of  divine  authority  on  this  subject,  for  there  is  no  passage  of 
Scripture,  in  fact  or  figure,  taken  in  its  proper  connection,  that 
either  teaches  or  supports  sprinkling  or  pouring  as  baptism. 

There  is  no  text  of  sacred  Scripture  approving  or  authorizing 
the  final  apostacy  of  the  saints. 

These  doctrines  are  false,  ruinous  and  insulting  to  the  dignity 
of  the  army  and  of  God.  From  one  cause  two  opposing  effects 
can't  come.  Therefore  these  unholy  divisions  among  profess- 
ing christians  are  the  effects  of  heresy.  For,  says  Herrick, 
'twixt  truth  and  error  there  is  this  difference  known :  error  is 
fruitful,  truth  only  one.  Truth  establishes,  protects  only  one; 
therefore  all  the  others  are  the  children  of  error. 

Destroy  the  error  permeating  the  heart  and  now  adorning 
the  profession  of  Christianity,  then  the  weight,  beauty  and  effi- 
ciency of  truth  will  result  in  the  unity,  oneness  and  harmony 
of  the  christian  church ;  the  widespread  of  the  pure  gospel,  and 
the  universal  acknowledgment  and  predominance  of  the  chris- 
tian religion. 

Our  banner  opposes  all  false  doctrine,  character  and  colors. 

Our  Captain  warns  the  army  to  beware  of  the  leaven  of  the 
Sadducees  and  Pharasees. 

Beware  of  the  false  prophets  which  come  to  you  in  sheep's 
clothing,  but  inwardly  they  are  ravening  wolves. 

Beloved,  believe  not  every  spirit.  Try  the  spirit  by  the 
spirit,  whether  they  be  of  God.  Because  many  false  prophets 
are  gone  out  into  the  world.  But  there  were  false  prophets 
also  among  the  people,  even  as  there  shall  be  false  teachers 
among  you,  who  privily  shall  bring  on  damnable  heresies,  even 
denying  the  Lord  that  bought  them,  and  bring  upon  themselves 
swift  destruction. 

He  that  modifies  the  truth  of  the  Bible,  either  by  addition  or 
diminution,  shall  have  his  name  erased  and  plagues  added. 
Because  he  is  a  transgressor  and  has  not  the  doctrine  of  Christ. 
John  teaches  that  whosoever  transgresseth  and  abides  not  in 
the  doctrine  of  Christ  has  not  God.  He  that  abides  in  the  doc- 
trine hath  both  the  Father  and  the  Son.  If  there  come  any 
unto  you  and  bring  not  the  doctrine,  receive  him  not  unto  your 


African  Baptist  Church.  161 

house,  neither  bid  him  God-speed ;  for  he  that  bids  hini  God- 
speed is  partaker  of  his  evil  deeds. 

We  can't  succeed  in  destroying  false  doctrine  nor  the  perni- 
cious influence  of  Catholicism  as  long  as  we  are  partial  toward 
their  branches.  Let  this  army  cry  out,  as  indicated  on  their 
banner,  that  by  thy  precepts  I  get  understanding :  therefore 
hate  every  false  way. 

2.  In  the  name  of  our  God  we  have  set  up  our  banner  ;  "tis 
God's  cause,  God's  army,  God's  banner.  Therefore  we  have  in 
honor  of  Him  and  hope  through  Him  lifted  up  our  banner. 
Whatever  we  do  or  say  should  be  done  in  the  name  of  God — 
the  name  of  God  is  holy  and  is  reverence.  The  things  in  His 
name  must  be  holy  and  reverential.  This  name  is,  therefore,  a 
safe  defense  and  protection  to  this  army.  'Tis  a  wonderful  name ; 
therefore  wonderful  will  be  the  consequences  through  it.  This 
name  has  God  exalted  above  every  name  in  heaven  and  earth. 
Therefore  the  army  defended  by  this  name  shall  be  most  tri- 
umphant. Before  His  name  men  and  angels  fall  and  devils 
fear  and  fly.  David  conquered  Goliah  through  His  name.  The 
unsurpassed  victories  of  Joshua  were  through^  His  name.  The 
holiness,  invincibleness  and  superior  excellence  of  his  arm}'  are 
very  astonishingly  demonstrated  in  their  dependence  upon  His 
mighty  name  for  success.  Through  His  name  all  miracles  done 
by  the  prophets  and  apostles  are  wrought.  The  redemption 
and  salvation  of  man  effected,  benedictions  invoked  and  the 
churches'  ordinances  administered  in  this  glorious  name.  'Tis 
a  grand,  yea,  peculiarly  great  display  of  recognition  to  be  hon- 
ored as  the  banner-bearer  for  more  than  1,500  churches  and 
more  than  160,000  soldiers,  and  in  recognition  of  deserving 
merit  we  regard  it  as  a  pleasure  of  no  ordinary  kind  to  present 
you  this  banner. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Something  About  the  Deacons  of  the  First   African  Baptist 

Church. 

Since  the  origin  of  the  Deacon's  office,  as  recorded  in  the  sixth 
Chapter  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  this  office  has  been  very  im- 
portant in  the  christian  church.  It  is  true,  however,  that  the 
office  is  greatly  magnified  to  what  seems  to  have  been  its  ori- 
gin. But  if  Stephen  &  Phillip  must  be  taken  as  examples,  it 
would  appear  that  the  office  began  to  be  magnified  in  the  days 


162  History  of  the  First 


of  the  Apostles,  and  under  their  eyes.  Indeed,  it  appears  that 
they  endorsed  this.  The  deacons,  then,  both  preached  and 
baptized.  The  Apostles  didn't  condemn  this,  but  rather  ap- 
proved it  from  the  fact  that  down  in  Samaria  they  simply  im- 
parted the  Holy  Ghost  to  those  who  had  believed  and  been 
baptized  by  Phillip  without  questioning  the  validity  of  their 
baptism.  We  have  no  record  that  the  deacons  were  ordained 
for  other  than  serving  tables,  yet  they  preached  and  baptized. 
The  office  of  the  deacon  is  certainly  a  very  important  one. 
They  can  do  a  great  deal  of  good  or  harm.  If  the  deacons  are 
wise  and  judicious  men  they  will  be  of  incalculable  service  to 
the  pastor  and  will  be  greatly  honored  by  the  church.  If  they 
purchase  to  themselves  a  good  degree  and  great  boldness  in  the 
faith,  they  will  prove  a  blessing  to  the  church.  The  First  Af- 
rican Baptist  Church  has  changed  deacons  quite  often.  The 
church  did  not  consider  that,  once  a  deacon  always  a  deacon. 
She  reserved  the  right  to  remove  them  when  she  pleased.  This 
is  a  good  thing  for  all  churches  to  do.  By  this  course  they 
could  command  better  officers.  Of  the  early  officers  not  much  is 
known.  Therefore,  we  will  only  be  able  to  mention  the  names 
of  many  of  them,  and  it  may  be  possible  that  some  of  their 
names  even  cannot  be  given.  The  following  is  as  near  as  can 
be  had  the  list  of  officers  from  the  organization  of  the  church 
in  January  1788  to  June  1st,  1888 : 

DEACONS. 

Sampson  Bryan,  Somerset  Bryan,  Dick  JSTethercliff,  Charles 
Golosh,  Trim  Campbell,  Sandy  Waters,  Thomas  Campbell,  Jo- 
siah  Lloyd  and  Harrington  Demere.  • 

These  were  the  first  set  who  served  under  Father  Biyan,  and 
still  in  his  day  others  served  as  deacons  from  time  to  time. 

Deacons  Adam  A.  Johnson,  James  Willis,  Adam  Sheftall, 
Paul  Hall,  Cajo  Ross,  July  Ward,  Solomon  Hall,  Robert  Mc- 
Nish,  Samuel  Cope,  Abraham  Wallace,  Balfour  Roberts,  Jack 
Simpson,  James  Baily,  Cuffee  Williams,  Ratio  Frasier,  Bing 
Frasier,  Joseph  Marshall,  James  Wilkins,  James  Butler,  W.  J. 
Campbell,  Benjamin  Ring,  Joseph  Clay,  Anthony  J.  Baptiste, 
Charles  Neufville,  Patrick  Williams,  Jeremiah  Jones,  Robert 
Yerdier,  Caesar  Verdier,  James  M.  Simms,  Samuel  Miller,  Mur- 
ry  Monroe,  Patrick  A.  Glenn,  Sandy  Jordan,  James  Richard, 
Friday  Gibbons,  George  Gibbons,  London  Small,  March  Davis, 
Charles  L.  DeLamotta,  Paul  Demere,  Ishmael  Stevens,  Edward 
D.  Brown,  July  Boles,  David  Mcintosh,  Frank  M.  Williams, 
Peter  Williams,  Randolph  Bolden,  Richard  Baker,  John  Nesbit, 


African  Baptist   Church.  163 

Robert  P.  Young,  P.  H.  Butler,  Dennis  Mitchell,  Willis 
Harris,  John  H.  Brown,  J.  C.  Habersham,  J.  C.  Williams,  L. 
J.  Pettigrew,  J.  H.  Hooker,  March  Haines,  Peter  Houston,  R. 
H.  Johnson,  E.  C.  Johnson,  Alexander  Rannair  and  F.  J. 
Wright.  The  first  named,  Deacon  Sampson  Bryan,  was  a 
brother  to  Rev.  Andrew  Bryan.  He,  as  his  brother  Andrew, 
was  baptized  by  Rev.  George  Leile  about  1781.  With  his 
brother  he  was  imprisoned  and,  like  him,  whipped  until  his 
back  was  torn  and  his  blood  puddled  by  his  side  on  the  ground 
in  the  sight  of  his  vile  persecutors.  But  he  would  not  deny 
the  Jesus  whom  he  loved,  nor  consent  to  cease  speaking  of  His 
goodness.  He  shared  with  his  brother  the  bitter  persecution 
that  the  church  was  called  upon  to  suffer  in  those  da}Ts.  Though 
missiles  most  terrible  from  the  enemy's  camp  were  hurled 
against  the  church,  this  good  man  never  faltered.  He  "purchased 
to  himself  a  good  degree  and  great  boldness  in  the  faith."  He 
was  much  beloved  by  the  church.  He  served  the  church  faith- 
fully until  he  fell  asleep  in  Jesus  early  in  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury. 

DEACON  ADAM   JOHNSON. 

Deacon  Johnson  may  have  served  as  deacon  under  Rev.  An- 
drew Bryan.  He  was  contemporary  with  Rev.  Andrew  Mar- 
shall. He  was  the  ablest  deacon  connected  with  the  church 
during  his  day.  He  was  baptized  by  Rev.  Andrew  Bryan  about 
the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century,  and  was  called  to  the  office 
of  deacon  about  the  close  of  Mr.  Bryan's  administration,  or 
about  the  first  of  Rev.  Mr.  Marshall's.  He  was  a  diligent  stu- 
dent of  the  Bible.  He  was  younger  than  Rev.  Marshall.  He 
waged  the  terrible  war  of  1832  against  Rev.  Mr.  Marshall  for 
adhering  to  the  doctrine  of  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell.  To  him 
is  due  more  than  to  any  one  else  the  split  of  the  church  in  1832. 
He  must  be  credited  with  waging  one  of  the  most  disastrous 
wars  that  has  ever  disgraced  a  christian  church.  He  was,  how- 
ever, contending  for  what  he  believed  to  be  "the  faith  once  de- 
livered to  the  saints,"  and  doubtless  fought  with  a  clear  con- 
science, believing  that  he  had  right  and  truth  on  his  side.  He 
was  true  to  a  principle,  and  hence  his  tenacity  to  what  he  be- 
lieved right  is  not  inconsistent  with  all  that  went  to  make  up 
this  grand  man.  He  led  the  crowd  that  opposed  Mr  Marshall. 
His  following,  however,  was  not  very  large.  When  the  final 
split  occurred  he  had  only  155  to  acquiesce  with  him,  while  2,640 
agreed  with  Rev.  Mr.  Marshall.  Deacon  Johnson  will  always 
be  remembered  in  Savannah.     He  was  always,  after  the  split, 


164  History  of  the  First 


the  leader  of  the  Third  African  Baptist  Church  (now  the  First 
Bryan  Baptist  Church),  which  was  the  result  of  the  split  and 
which  was  organized  under  him  as  leader  about  the  last  of  De- 
cember, 1832,  or  the  first  of  January,  1833,  and  in  ISTovemberof 
1833  was  entered  iu  the  Sunbuiy  Baptist  Association  as  the  Third 
African  Baptist  Church  of  Savannah.  As  a  christian,  Deacon 
Johnson  was  pious  and  upright.  He  thought  for  himself  and 
never  feared  to  express  his  thoughts  when  the  cause  of  Zion 
was  concerned.  He  lived  to  a  good  old  age,  and  full  of  years, 
honors  and  good  works  he  fell  asleep  in  Jesus  March  18th,  1853, 
and  was  gathered  to  the  saint's  rest. 

DEACON   ADAM   SHEFTALL. 

Deacon  Sheftall  served  as  deacon,  it  appears,  under  Mr.  Mar- 
shall and  took  sides  with  Deacon  Johnson  against  Mr.  Marshall. 
He  was  deacon  at  the  time  of  the  split  or  elected  very  soon  after- 
wards. He  was  quite  prominent  in  the  split  and  immediately 
afterwards.  He  was  almost  alwa}Ts  chosen  delegate  to  repre- 
sent the  "Third  Church"  in  the  association  after  the  split. 

DEACON   JACK   SIMPSON 

was  a  very  pious,  humble  deacon  of  this  church.  He  was  a  co- 
adjutor of  Deacon  Adam  Johnson,  and  did  valiant  service  in 
the  war  of  1832  against  Rev.  Mr.  Marshall.  He  believed  that 
Deacon  Johnson  was  right  and,  therefore,  when  the  church 
split  he  went  with  the  155  which  was  constituted  into  the  Third 
Church. 

DEACON   ROBERT   M'NISH.  # 

Deacon  Robert  McXish  was  born  in  Camden  county,  Ga., 
June  19,  1808.  He  was  converted  in  1825,  and  baptized 
in  the  fellowship  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  by  Rev. 
Andrew  C.  Marshall.  He  was  elected  a  deacon  of  this  church 
about  1835.  He  was  perfectly  devoted  to  Rev.  Mr.  Marshall, 
and  was  much  beloved  by  the  church.  He  served  as  a  deacon 
under  Rev.  "W.  J.  Campbell  and  became  as  devoted  to  him  as 
he  was  to  Rev.  Marshall.  When  the  split  of  1832  came  he  cast 
his  lot  with  Rev.  Marshall,  and  in  the  split  of  1877  he  cast  his 
destiny  with  Rev.  Campbell  and  stuck  by  him  until  his  death, 
in  October,  1880.  He  returned  with  the  body  of  members  of 
this  church  from  the  Beach,  February  17th,  1881.  As  the  terms 
of  agreement  upon  which  the  trouble  of  1877  was  settled  pro- 
vided that  the  officers  of  that  portion  of  the  church  at  the  Beach 
Institute  should  relinquish  their  claims  to  offices  in  the  church, 


African  Baptist  Church.  165 

he,  upon  the  reunion  of  the  church  again,  was  thereby  deposed 
from  the  office  of  deacon.  He  still  lives,  an  honored,  consistent 
member  of  the  church*.  The  old  man's  presence  in  the  church 
is  inspiring.  His  hair  is  perfectly  white  and  he  has  a  patri- 
archial  appearance.     Everyone  calls  him  "Father  McMsh." 

DEACON   W.    J.    CAMPBELL. 

Deacon  W.  J.  Campbell  was  born  January  1,  1812.  He  was 
baptized  by  Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall  about  1834,  and  elected 
deacon  about  1840.  He  served  in  this  office  faithfully  until  he 
was  licensed  to  preach  in  February,  1855.  He  became  pastor 
of  the  church  about  January,  1857.  The  foundation  of  his 
great  influence  was  laid  deep  and  strong  while  he  was  a  deacon, 
and  he  is  undoubtedly  remembered  with  more  tender  affection 
than  any  man  who  has  ever  lived  in  Savannah. 

DEACON   JAMES   M.    SIMMS. 

Deacon  Simms  was  born  in  Savannah,  Ga.,  December  27th, 
1323.  He  was  converted  in  March,  1841,  and  was  baptized  into 
the  fellowship  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  the  first 
Sunday  in  April,  1841,  by  Rev.  Marshall.  He  did  not  remain 
long  in  the  church.  He  was  expelled  for  continued  neglect  of 
christian  duties,  and  remained  out  of  the  church  until  31st  of 
October,  1858.  He  made  several  attempts,  however,  to  get 
back,  but  Rev.  Marshall  seemed  not  to  have  been  in  a  hurry  to 
restore  him.  He  was  very  presumptuous  and  defiant.  On  one 
occasion  when  he  tried  to  return,  and,  having  got  wet,  remain- 
ing out  doors  for  his  turn  to  be  called,  as  the  custom  was,  and 
bemg  disappointed,  as  the  conference  adjourned  without  call- 
ing him,  he  said  to  Dr.  Marshall :  "  When  I  ask  you  all  to  take 
me  in  again,  you  will  do  it."  He  left  the  church  and  went  to 
fiddling  and  numerous  other  sins,  and  never  returned  during 
Mr.  Marshall's  life.  When  Mr.  Marshall  died,  this  statement 
returned  with  great  force  to  him,  and  he  was  one  of  the  bitterest 
weepers  at  Mr.  Marshall's  funeral.  But  he  remained  out  two 
years  longer,  when  he  returned  to  the  church  and  was  restored. 
He  was  elected  clerk  of  the  church  December  19th,  1858.  His 
push  and  pluck  made  him  prominent  rather  than  the  wish  of 
the  people  to  have  him  as  officer.  He  was  appointed  one  of  the 
building  committee  of  the  church.  He  was  a  very  fine  work- 
man, and  had  charge  of  the  wood  work  of  the  church.  This  he 
executed  with  remarkable  good  taste.  He  was  very  intelli- 
gent for  that  day.  He  bought  himself  in  the  year  1857  for  $740. 
He  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  First  African  Baptist  Church 


166  History  of  the  First 


in  March,  1863.  He  was  elected  deacon  January  29th,  1860. 
He  was  detected  teaching  the  children  of  his  race  April,  1863, 
for  which  he  was  fined  $50.  When  the  war  broke  out  between 
the  North  and  South,  he  ran  the  blockade  and  went  to  Massa- 
chusetts, leaving  Savannah  on  the  2d  of  February,  1864,  and 
returning  on  the  2d  of  February,  1865.  During  his  twelve 
months'  stay  in  Boston,  Mass.,  he  was  ordained  to  the  office  of  the 
gospel  ministry  by  the  Twelfth  Street  Baptist  Church,  Boston, 
Mass.,  April  17th,  1864,  by  Bev.  Leonard  A.  Grimes;  Bey- 
mond,  of  New  York;  Bev.  Thompson,  of  Boston;  Bandolph 
Charlton,  of  Boston. 

When  he  returned  home,  Bev.  W.  J.  Campbell,  the  pastor  of 
the  First  African  Baptist  Church  refused  to  recognize  the  ordi- 
nation of  Mr.  Simms,  claiming  that  no  church  had  the  right  to 
call  to  ordination  one  of  the  members  of  his  church.  In  this 
Mr.  Campbell  was  quite  right.  Mr.  Simms  had  a  commission 
from  the  Home  Mission  Society  to  labor  among  the  negroes  in 
this  part  of  Georgia  and  in  parts  of  Florida.  Mr.  Campbell 
appears  to  have  written  the  society  that  Mr.  Simms  was  not 
regularly  ordained,  and  the  society  withdrew  the  commission. 
This  drove  Mr.  Simms  into  politics,  there  being  a  Freedman's 
Bureau  in  the  city,  which  gave  him  employment.  From  this 
time  on  he  entered  fully  into  politics.  He  was  elected  to  the 
Legislature  of  Georgia,  and  served  several  terms.  He  was  an 
able  member  of  that  body.  He  was  appointed  a  judge  by 
Governor  Bullock,  but  did  not  hold  court  anywhere  because  the 
office  was  abolished  very  soon  after  its  establishment.  Judge 
Simms  took  a  letter  of  dismission  from  the  First  African  Bap- 
tist Church  and  joined  the  First  Bryan  Baptist  Church.  Bev. 
U.  L.  Houston,  pastor  of  said  church,  recognized  the  ordination 
of  Mr.  Simms.  This  enraged  Bev.  Mr.  Campbell  with  Bev. 
Houston,  which  bitter  feeling  lasted  for  years.  Bev.  Simms' 
ordination  is  counted  irregular  by  the  First  African  Baptist 
Church  till  this  day.  In  1885  Bev.  Mr.  Simms  took  a  letter  of 
dismission  from  the  First  Bryan  Baptist  Church  to  join  the  First 
African  Baptist  Church,  but  the  church  refused  to  accept  it, 
and  returned  it  to  him,  when  he  carried  it  back  to  the  First 
Bryan  Baptist  Church,  where  he  is  still  a  member.  It  is  just 
to  state  that  Mr.  Simms  is  not  properly  a  gospel  minister, 
having  never  been  properly  ordained,  and  should  not  be  admitted 
into  the  pulpit  of  any  orderly  Baptist  church.  He  has  been 
in  several  very  questionable  law  suits  which  reflected  seriously 
upon  his  character.  Mr.  Simms,  all  told,  is  among  the  ablest 
men  the  church  has  ever  produced.  He  is  stubborn  and 
possesses  an  iron  will.     He  has  been  pastor  of  several  country 


African  Baptist   Church.  167 

churches,  but  has  continued  with  no  one  of  them  very  long 
at  a  time.  He  has  left  politics  and  is  giving  himself  wholly 
to  the  ministry,  preaching  at  several  country  churches  and 
wherever  else  a  door  is  opened  to  him.  But  his  manners  are 
repulsive  to  the  people,  and  as  a  preacher  he  does  not  succeed. 

DEACON  MURRY  MONROE. 

Deacon  Monroe  was' born  in  Liberty  county,  Ga.,  July  16th, 
1818.  He  was  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the  First  African 
Baptist  Church  in  1844  by  Bev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall.  He  was 
very  much  attached  to  Mr.  Marshall.  He  loved  him  as  his 
own  father.  Mr.  Monroe  named  his  oldest  boy  after  Mr. 
Marshall.  That  boy  is  Andrew  Marshall  Monroe  and  is  an 
earnest,  faithful,  consistent  member  of  the  church  to-day.  Mr. 
Monroe  was  elected  deacon  of  the  church  May  16th,  1858.  He 
served  most  faithfully  and  acceptably  for  years,  when  he  re- 
signed because  of  business  engagements  which  prevents  him 
from  giving  the  office  his  time.  The  church  hated  to  part  with 
him.  He  was  a  man  of  considerable  means  and  unbounded 
liberality.  He  reared  his  children  right,  and  had  as  nice  and 
respectable  a  family  as  any  in  the  city.  He  was  one  of  the 
building  committee  who  superintended  the  erection  of  the 
church  in  1859.  In  all  things  he  has  been  a  faithful,  upright 
and  consistent  christian  gentleman.  He  was  an  example  of 
christian  piety,  fidelity  and  devotion.  He  was  quick  to  forgive 
and  forget  an  injury.  He  still  lives  and  aged,  faithful  member 
of  the  church.  He  is  very  feeble  now,  and  cannot  attend  on  di- 
vine service  as  in  former  days.  He  is  universally  beloved  and 
honored.  Deacon  Monroe  can  never  be  forgotten  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church.  He  has  served  the 
church  faithfully  and  long,  and  has  never  put  the  church  to  any 
trouble.  As  a  man  Deacon  Monroe  has  a  pleasing  address, 
gentlemanly  bearing  and  dignified  manners.  He  is  polite,  affa- 
ble and  kind,  and  has  great  reverence  for  his  church  and  pas- 
tor. He  is  naturally  polished  and  his  countenance  bespeaks 
truth,  honesty  and  sincerity.     He  is  withal  a  good  man. 

DEACON   PATRICK   A.    GLENN. 

Deacon  Glenn  was  born  near  May  Biver,  S.  C,  in  1817.  He 
was  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the  First  African  Baptist 
Church  about  1835  by  Bev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall.  He  was  called 
to  the  office  of  deacon  May  16, 1858.  He  was  for  awhile  deposed 
from  office,  and  remained  out  until  the  split  of  1877,  when  he 
was  restored  to  office.     He  took  sides  against  Bev.  Campbell  in 


168  History  oj  the  First 


the  church  fight,  and  was  vigorous  in  his  opposition  to  him. 
Deacon  Glenn  still  lives,  an  aged  and  honored  member  of  the 
church .  He  has  a  large  circle  of  admiring  friends,  and  is  cmite 
influential,  in  the  country  places  especially.  He  is  now  feeble, 
but  manages  to  get  out  to  church  and  attend  to  his  duties  as  a 
deacon.     He  is  very  industrious  and  has  some  good  property. 

DEACON   JAMES   RICHARD 

was  born  near  Hilton  Head,  S.  C,  August  10,  1820,  and  was 
baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church 
about  1844  by  Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall.  He  was  elected  dea- 
con May  16,  1858,  and  served  for  seven  years,  when  he  resigned. 
He  was  very  diligent  and  active  and  served  his  church  most 
faithfully.  He  is  an  humble  man,  full  of  faith  and  love,  and 
everyone  regards  him  with  much  tenderness  and  affection.  He 
is  the  faithful  sexton  of  the  church,  and  takes  great  pride  in 
his  work,  and  the  church  is  kept  perfectly  clean.  He  is  per- 
fectly devoted  to  the  church  and  pastor.  Anything  left  in  the 
church  through  mistake,  or  lost,  is  perfectly  safe  in  his  hands. 
No  one  has  a  harsh  word  to  say  of  Mr.  Richard.  He  is  polite 
and  has  a  pleasing  address,  and  has  always  had  a  wonderful 
influence.  He  is  noted  for  meekness  and  great  patience.  He 
still  lives,,  a  loving,  consistent  member  of  the  church. 

DEACON  FRIDAY   GIBBONS. 

Deacon  Friday  Gibbons  was  elder  brother  of  Rev.  George 
Gibbons.  He  was  born  in  the  year  1809,  and  was  baptized  by 
Rev.  Andrew  Marshall  about  1830.  He  was  called  to  the  office 
of  deacon  January  29th,  1860.  He  was  an  active  deacon,  and 
won  the  confidence  of  the  church.  Those  who  opposed  him  as 
deacon  acknowledge  his  uprightness  and  faithfulness  as  a  ser- 
vant of  God.  He  fell  asleep  in  Jesus  December  26th,  1874,  full 
of  years  and  full  of  good  work.  He  is  very  tenderly  spoken  of 
by  the  members  of  the  church. 

DEACON   GEORGE   GIBBONS 

was  born  on  Thorny  Island,  Barnwell  District,  S.  C,  Novem- 
ber 13th,  1819.  He  was  converted  to  God  about  1844,  and 
baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church 
by  Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall.  He  was  elected  deacon  of  the 
church  January  29th,  1860.  He  was  an  humble,  active,  loving 
deacon,  and  won  the  confidence,  admiration  and  love  of  the  en- 
tire church.     He  was  licensed  to  preach,  and  was  therefore 


African  Baptist   Church. 


169 


promoted  from  the  position  of  deacon.  He  became  an  assistant 
to  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell  in  the  pastorate.  He  became  pastor 
of  the  Bethlehem  Baptist  Chnrch,  which  he  served  very  accept- 
ably until  he  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  First  African 
Baptist  Church  during  the  troubles  of  1877. 


» 


m 


DEACON  C  L.  DELAMOTTA 

was  born  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  in  the  year  1822.  He  was  con- 
verted to  God  about  1841,  and  was  baptized  into  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  by  Rev.  A.  C.  Mar- 
shall. He  was  elected  deacon  of  the  church  October  12th, 
1862.  He  was  very  stubborn  when  he  took  a  stand.  He  op- 
posed the  call  of  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell,  and  for  a  while  made  it 
very  unpleasant  for  him.  He  was  very  quick  to  beg  pardon 
when  it  appeared  that  he  would  be  expelled.  If  the  church 
gave  him  time  to  talk,  his  pitiable  pleading  and  humble  atti- 
tude would  preclude  the  possibility  of  expulsion.  He  was,  how- 
ever, expelled  in  1858  for  his  opposition  to  the  pastor,  and 
again  in  1876  for  his  opposition  to  the  pastor  and  deacons.  He 
was  the  faithful  and  loving  superintendent  of  the  Sunday 
school.  He  was  greatly  beloved  by  the  scholars  and  teachers. 
They  were  willing  to  stand  by  him  under  almost  any  circum- 
stance.    When  the  State  Baptist  Convention  met  at  Columbus, 


170  History  of  the  Fird 


Ga.,  he  sent  the  Sunday  school  letter  by  Rev.  Alexander  Har- 
ris, pastor  of  the  First  Bryan  Baptist  Church,  "West  Broad 
street,  notwithstanding  Deacons  B.  B.  Young  and  B.  H.  But- 
ler were  delegates  from  his  own  church.  To  this,  these  two 
brethren  took  exception  and  reported  the  matter  to  the  church, 
upon  which  Deacon  DeLamotta  was  expelled.  Bev.  Campbell, 
the  pastor,  endeavored  to  get  Deacon  J.  H.  Brown  to  take 
charge  of  the  Sunday  school  as  superintendent,  but  he,  being 
true  to  a  friend,  and  true  to  an  understanding  of  the  matter  be- 
fore hand,  declined.  Deacon  B.  B.  Young  was  appointed 
superintendent.  The  teachers  refused  to  serve  under  Deacon 
Young,  which  was  rightly  construed  to  mean  contempt  of  the 
church,  and  therefore  Superintendent  DeLamotta  with  all  of 
his  teachers,  seventeen  in  number,  were  expelled.  Most  of 
these  remained  out  until  the  trouble  of  1877,  when  they  rushed 
in  and  swelled  the  number  of.  the  majority,  which  was  then 
arraigned  against  the  pastor.  Mr.  DeLamotta  was  restored  to 
the  office  of  superintendent  and  deacon.  Some  of  these  teach- 
ers continued  to  commune  in  some  of  the  churches  where  they 
were  permitted  to  do  so,  notwithstanding  they  were  expelled 
members.  It  is  hard  to  conceive  how  people  who  had  the  in- 
telligence these  teachers  had  could  be  guilty  of  so  gross  an 
error  as  to  commune  with  the  Lord  and  his  people  when  they 
were  not  reconciled  with  the  church  into  whose  fellowship  they 
had  been  baptized,  but  such  is  the  fact.  It  is  hardly  natural 
to  suppose  that  they  would  be  prepared  to  sympathize  with 
Bev.  Mr.  Campbell,  whom  they  charged  with  being  the  cause  of 
their  expulsion.  It  tended,  however,  to  show  the  hold  Mr.  De- 
Lamotta had  upon  the  hearts  of  these  teachers.  The  Sunday 
school  was  perfectly  devoted  to  Mr.  DeLamotta  and  he  was 
equally  devoted  to  the  Sunday  school.  Whenever  anything 
concerning  the  Sunday  school  came  up  he  would  be  sure  to  do 
his  part.  He  had  no  children  of  his  own,  but  he  had  such  a 
big  heart  that  he  could  and  did  take  in  everybody  else's  chil- 
dren. There  has  never  been  a  deacon  connected  with  this 
church,  perhaps,  who  has  done  as  much  good  as  Deacon  De- 
Lamotta. While  he  did  his  duty  as  a  deacon  of  the  church, 
his  labors  among  the  children  knew  no  bounds.  The  majority 
of  the  people  of  this  church  now  owe  their  christian  informa- 
tion to  Deacon  C.  L.  DeLamotta.  He  can  never  be  forgotten  in 
Savannah.  He  was  as  humble  and  obedient  to  his  mother  as  a 
child.  At  the  convention  in  Carter sville  May,  1885,  in  a  Sun- 
day school  mass  meeting,  after  the  congregation  had  sung, 
"Hold  the  Fort  for  I  Am  Coming"  in  a  most  feeling  manner,  he 
rose  and  said  :  "Children,  while  you  are  singing  'Hold  the  Fort 


African  Baptist  Church.  171 

for  I  am  Coming,'  my  soul  rejoices,  though  I  cannot  help  you 
sing  that  part.  I  have  been  here  too  long  to  sing  that  as  you 
do.  I  have  most  gotten  through  with  my  work  here.  I  will 
soon  be  gone.  I  rejoice  that  God  has  raised  you  up  to  hold 
the  fort  that  I  have  been  trying  to  hold  for  so  many  years. 
Therefore  I  shall  sing  to  you,  '  Hold  the  Fort  for  I  am  going  '  * 
This  had  a  wonderful  effect  upon  the  congregation,  and  melted 
many  to  tears.  Deacon  DeLamotta  opposed  the  call  of  Rev. 
E.  K.  Love,  and  became  so  naughty  that  he  was  deposed  from 
the  deacon's  office  and  narrowly  escaped  expulsion.  He.  how- 
ever, very  soon  made  friends  with  him  and  co-operated  with 
him  in  his  work.  Rev.  Love  stood  by  him  to  the  last,  admir- 
ing him  for  "  the  xevy  work's  sake."  Rey.  Love  restored  him  to 
office  and  found  in  him  a  faithful  officer.  He  died  December 
the  30th,  1886,  full  of  good  works  Before  he  died  he  sent  for 
Deacon  J.  H.  Brown  and  other  teachers  and  had  them  to  sing- 
some  of  his  favorite  songs,  and  then  committed  the  school  to 
Mr.  Brown,  saying,  "John,  I  must  die,  take  care  of  the  school — 
take  care  of  nry  children  "  He  sent  for  Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  his 
pastor,  and  told  him,  "I  cannot  live;  I  must  die.  Tell  the 
people  I  love  Jesus  I  know  I  have  done  wrong  in  many 
things,  but  it  is  all  well,  nowr.  Tell  the  church  I  am  going 
home  to  rest.  I  love  Jesus,  and  he  loves  me."  Very  soon 
after  saying  this  he  calmly  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  Rev.  Alexan- 
der Harris,  his  life-long  friend  by  his  side  The  church  bore 
his  funeral  expenses,  and  a  very  large  crowd  of  weepers,  to- 
gether with  the  Sunday  school,  headed  by  Deacon  J.  H.  Brown, 
followed  him  to  his  last  resting  place,  January  1st,  1887. 

DEACON   DAVID   M'lXTOSH 

was  born  in  Savannah,  Ga.,  about  1843,  and  wTas  converted  to 
God  about  1866,  and  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the  First 
African  Baptist  Church  hy  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell.  He  was  called 
to  the  office  of  deacon  January  31st,  1869.  He  was  a  faithful 
deacon.  He  stood  hy  Rev.  Campbell  in  the  trouble  of  1877,  and 
when  the  church  split  he  went  writh  him  to  the  Beach.  He  re- 
turned to  the  church,  awhile  before  the  body  did,  February  17, 
1884,  and  remained  a  faithful,  active  member  until  his  death. 
He  was  murdered  by  Frederick  Wright,  who  also  was  a  mem- 
'  ber  of  this  church,  July  22d,  1886.  Mr.  Wright  suspicioned 
Mr  Mcintosh  of  criminal  intimacy  with  his  wife,  and  uncere- 
moniously shot  him  down.  Mr.  Wright's  suspicion  prove  to  be 
unfounded,  and  he  was  found  guilty  of  murder  and  recom- 
mended to  the  niercy  of  the  court.     He  was  sentenced  to  life- 

12 


112 


History  of  the  First 


time  imprisonment.  Deacon  Mcintosh  stood  well  in  the  church 
and  well  in  the  community.  Nobody  believes  him  guilty  of 
the  awful  crime  for  which  he  lost  his  life.  A  good  man  was 
thus  rashly  removed  from  us. 


DEACON  FRANK   M.  WILLIAMS 

was  born  in  Beaufort,  S.  C,  May  10th,  1812,  and  was  converted 
to  God  May,  1866.  He  was  baptized  into  the  fellowship 
of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  by  Bev.  TV\  J.  Campbell. 
He  was  called  to  the  office  of  deacon  January  31st,  1869.  He 
is  an  humble,  meek,  loving  man,  and  is  much  beloved  by  the 
church.  He  took  sides  with  the  majority  against  Bev.  Mr. 
Campbell  in  the  trouble  of  1877,  and  was  moderator  of  that 
memorable  conference  when  the  split  occurred.  He  is  regarded 
a  senior  deacon  of  the  church,  though  comparatively  a  young 
man.  He  is  chairman  of  the  finance  committee,  and  is  almost 
always  made  moderator,  when  the  pastor  is  absent.  He  goes 
in  the  water  with  tbe  pastor  on  baptism  days.  He  has  a  sweep- 
ing influence.  He  still  lives,  and  exerts  a  wonderful  influence 
in  the  church.  Mr.  \Yillianis  has  been  moderator  of  several 
memorable  conferences.  He  was  moderator  when  Bev.  E.  K. 
Love  was  called.     He  has   always  reflected  credit  upon  the 


African  Baptist   Church.  173 

church.  He  is  treasurer  of  the  Mount  Olive  Baptist  Association 
and  several  other  important  societies,  with  all  of  whom  he 
stands  well.  He  is  very  kind,  and  treats  the  members  with  the 
utmost  tenderness  and  becoming  politeness. 

DEACON"  RICHARD  BAKER 

was  born  in  Savannah  about  1820.  He  was  converted  to  God 
about  1838,  and  was  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the  First 
African  Baptist  Church  by  Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall.  He  was 
elected  deacon  of  the  church  September  25th,  1865.  He  had  a 
great  influence,  and  in  power  stood  next  to  Rev.  "W.  J.  Camp- 
bell, the  pastor.  He  was  perfectly  devoted  to  the  pastor,  sup- 
porting him  unqualifiedly  in  whatever  he  undertook.  In  the 
trouble  of  1877  he  took  sides  with  the  pastor,  who  was  unfor- 
tunately with  the  minority.  Indeed,  Mr.  Baker  was  more 
largely  responsible  for  that  trouble  than  any  other  man  con- 
nected with  it.  Had  Deacon  Young  not  taken  the  advice  of 
Deacon  Baker,  it  is  quite  probable  that  the  trouble  would  not 
have  assumed  so  serious  a  magnitude.  Deacon  Baker  mistook 
his  strength  in  the  church  and  undertook  to  carry  things  his 
way,  and  hence  the  terrible  clash.  He  entered  the  first  indict- 
ment against  the  brethren  for  disturbing  public  worship,  and 
started  the  law  suit.  Had  he  exercised  more  of  a  Christ-like, 
forbearing  spirit,  this  law  suit  would  not  have  been,  and  the 
matter  would  have  been  much  more  easily  settled.  He  became 
chief  prosecutor  on  the  other  side.  When  the  split  occurred, 
he,  of  course,  went  with  Rev.  Mr.  Campbell.  He  remained 
with  him  until  his  death.  Mr.  Baker  did  not  return  with  the 
people  from  the  "  Beach,"  February  17th,  1884,  nor  has  he 
returned  yet.  He  seems  to  have  taken  a  vow  that  he  would 
not  come  back.  He  still  hives  an  alien  and  stranger  to  the 
church  and  almost  forgotten  by  the  members.  His  name  is 
never  heard  in  the  church  and  very  rarely  among  the  members. 
Though  he  lives,  he  is  dead.  Had  he  died  during  the  trouble 
he  would  have  been  spoken  of  more  kindly,  and  his  memory 
would  have  been  more  respected.  He  will  probably  never  re- 
turn to  the  church,  but  the  church  has  forgotten  him  and  is 
moving  grandly  on  to  a  glorious  success. 

DEACON  JOHN  NESBIT 

was  born  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  about  1828.  He  was  converted 
about  1858  and  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the  First  African 
Baptist  Church  by  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell.  He  was  elected  dea- 
con of  the  church  January  31st,  1869.     He  was  licensed  to 


17 Jf.  History  of  the  First 


preach  by  the  church  in  1874.  When  Rev.  George  Gibbons 
was  called  pastor  of  this  church  and  resigned  the  charge  of 
Bethlehem  Baptist  Church,  Mr.  ISTesbit  was  called  to  ordination 
and  elected  pastor  of  said  church  in  1879,  where  he  still  labors 
successfully. 

DEACON    ROBERT    P.  YOUNG 

was  born  in  Savannah  October  25th,  1842.  He  was  converted  to 
God  in  1861  and  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the  First  Afri- 
can Baptist  Church  by  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell.  He  was  elected 
deacon  of  the  church  January  31st,  1869.  He  was  active,  in- 
telligent and  pious.  He  was  a  favorite  of  Rev.  Campbell.  He 
was  also  clerk  of  the  church.  The  trouble  of  1877  is  traceable 
to  him  as  the  starting  point.  He  was  the  person  charged  of 
misplacing  the  money  of  the  church.  He  acknowledged  being 
careless  with  the  money,  but  stated  that  he  had  no  intention  of 
stealing  the  money.  This  statement  was  accepted  and  his  care- 
lessness pardoned.  Mr.  Joseph  C.  Williams  motioned  to  expel 
him,  but  Deacon  Baker  made  a  substitute  motion  that  he  be  re- 
buked and  forgiven.  The  substitute  prevailed.  At  the  next 
conference  Mr.  J.  C.  Williams  motioned,  on  the  confirmation 
of  the  minutes,  that  the  motion  which  pardoned  Deacon  Young 
be  reconsidered.  The  chair  very  correctly  ruled  this  motion 
out  of  order.  Mr.  J.  C.  Habersham  moved  to  sustain  the  mo- 
tion of  Mr.  Williams.  This  motion  prevailed.  This  was  vir- 
tually an  appeal  from  the  decision  of  the  chair.  This  erroneous 
motion  started  the  ball  to  rolling.  But  for  this  motion,  it  is 
hard  to  see  how  the  church  would  have  split  at  that  time  and 
for  that  cause.  This  laid  the  foundation  for  the  objection  to 
Deacon  Young  carrying  around  the  communion,  and  for  Mr.  A. 
Rannair  barring  the  door  of  the  choir  to  prevent  him  from  enter- 
ing the  choir  with  the  holy  eucharist  which  laid  the  foundation 
for  the  indictments  of  disturbing  public  worship,  and  this  laid 
the  foundation  of  the  bitterest  hostilities  ever  occurred  in  the 
history  of  the  church.  This  unsavory  motion  was  the  prolific 
parent  of  all  these  troubles.  The  church  finally  split,  and  Dea- 
con Young  cast  his  lot  with  those  who  stood  with  Rev.  Mr. 
Campbell.  He  was  their  intellectual  leader.  He  prepared  the 
papers  that  were  used  in  court  for  his  side.  He  stood  by  Rev. 
Campbell  until  his  death.  He  led  the  army  back  February 
17th,  1884.  He  surrendered  the  books  to  Rev.  George  Gibbons 
and  every  other  right  save  that  of  a  member.  But  he  was  very 
soon  placed  back  into  the  choir  and  made  its  president.  In 
this  position  he  remained  until  he  died.     When  he  was  about  to 


African  Baptist   Church.  175 

to  die,  he  sent  for  his  pastor,  Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  and  said  to  him : 
"  Parson,  I  have  sent  for  yon  to  tell  you  what  to  do  with  niy 
body.  I  have  decided  to  die ;  I  know  I  cannot  live  ;  I  will 
take  no  more  medicine ;  I  would  rather  die ;  I  am  at  peace 
with  God  and  all  men  ;  tell  the  church  I  am  going  to  heaven  ; 
tell  them  to  meet  me  there  ;  I  have  done  many  things  wrong, 
but  it  is  all  well ;  take  charge  of  my  body  and  lay  it  away  de- 
cently and  pay  my  board  bill  for  me ;  the  Masons  and  long- 
shoremen will  bear  my  funeral  expenses ;  may  God  bless  you." 
Shortly  after  this  Deacon  R.  P.  Young  fell  asleep  in  Jesus  in 
April,  1887.  He  was  followed  to  his  last  resting  place  by  several 
thousand  persons.  Deacon  Young  was  a  meek  man  and  full 
of  faith,  and  will  always  be  remembered  with  interest. 

DEACON  POMPEY  H.  BUTLER 

was  born  in  Whitehall,  Bryan  county,  Georgia,  December, 
1841.  In  April,  1853,  he  was  converted  and  united  with  the 
Macedonia  Baptist  Church  into  the  full  membership,  of  which 
he  was  baptized  the  following  July  by  Rev.  Mr.  Fuller  Harmon, 
who  was  a  missionary  preacher  laboring  in  Whitehall  and  other 
portions  of  Bryan  county. 

In  1865  he  went  to  Savannah,  where  he  placed  himself  under 
the  watch  care  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church,  over  which 
Rev.  William  J.  Campbell  was  then  presiding.  One  year  later, 
in  1866,  he  drew  his  letter  from  the  Macedonia  church  and  be- 
came a  full  member  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church. 

Here  he  won  the  respect  and  confidence  of  all,  and  was  in 
due  time  promoted  from  the  ranks  of  the  laity  to  official  stand- 
ing. January  31st,  1869,  he  was  chosen  deacon,  which  position 
he  held  continuously  fifteen  years  and  one  month,  discharging 
his  duties  faithfully  and  acceptably. 

By  the  unanimous  consent  of  the  church  he  was  licensed  to 
preach  September,  1885.  Feeling  the  need  of  some  preparation 
for  his  work,  he  went  to  the  Atlanta  Baptist  Seminary,  where 
he  devoted  some  three  years  to  earnest  study,  and  made  de- 
cided progress. 

Polite,  affable,  he  makes  a  favorable  impression,  and  wins 
friends  wherever  he  goes.  He  was  intimately  associated  with 
the  pastor,  by  which  he  became  very  influential.  He  went 
with  the  pastor  whenever  and  wherever  he  went  on  his  vaca- 
tion. He  enjoyed  the  fullest  confidence  and  the  most  tender 
love  of  the  entire  church.  He  was  away  with  the  pastor  when 
the  memorable  trouble  of  1877  begun.  Hence,  he  was  not  con- 
cerned in  it,  but  took  sides  with  the  deacons  and  pastor.      This 


176  History  of  the  First 


was  most  natural  for  him,  under  the  circumstances,  being  with 
the  pastor  and  being  himself  a  deacon.  He  took  an  active  part 
in  the  trouble  and  became  one  of  the  prominent  characters  in 
the  prosecution.  He  stood  by  Rev.  Campbell  till  his  death. 
He,  with  Deacon  Young,  brought  the  church  back  from  the 
Beach.  He  lost  his  office  in  the  compromise,  but  was  very  soon 
licensed  to  preach  the  gospel.  Mr.  Butler  stands  spotless  in 
this  community.  He  possesses  pleasing  manners  and  is  very 
friendly.  If  he  is  as  successful  as  a  preacher  as  he  was  a  dea- 
con, the  church  will  have  great  need  to  be  proud  of  him.  Mr. 
Butler  is  widely  and  favorably  known.  The  brethren  love 
him. 


DEACON   PETER   WILLIAMS 

was  born  in  Bryan  county,  Ga.,  in  the  year  1832.  He  was  con- 
verted to  God  in  1867,  and  was  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of 
the  First  African  Baptist  Church  by  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell.  He 
was  called  to  the  office  of  deacon  in  1875.  He  was  an  humble 
officer,  active  and  pious,  and  greatly  beloved  of  the  church.  He 
won  the  highest  confidence  of  the  entire  church.  He  was  very 
much  devoted  to  Rev.  Campbell,  his  pastor,  obeyed  him  abso- 
lutely, and  was  willing  to  die  with  him.  He  took  sides  with 
Rev.  Campbell  and  went  with  him  to  the  Beach.  He  stood  by 
him  until  his  death.  He  returned  to  the  church  February  17, 
1884,  with  the  body  of  members  from  the  Beach.  Hy  virtue  of 
the  compromise  he  lost  his  office  and  became  a  private  member. 
He  has  since  been  elected  deacon  but  declined  acceptance.  He 
is  still  a  consistent  member  of  the  church,  a  man  much  be- 
loved by  the  people.  Deacon  Williams'  life  is  worthy  of  imi- 
tation.    He  is  a  good  man. 


African  Baptist   Church. 


DEACON   MARCH    HAOTES 

was  born  in  Pocataligo,  S.  C,  March  -4,  1825.  He  was  convert- 
ed to  God  in  April,  1838,  and  was  baptized  into  the  fellowship 
of  the  Wilmington  Baptist  Church,  April.  1838,  by  Rev.  Jack 
Watry.  He  was  elected  deacon  of  said'  church  in  18-19.  He 
removed  to  Savannah  in  185S  and  joined  the  First  African  Bap- 
tist Church,  of  which  he  became  an  active  deacon  in  Decem- 
ber, 1877.  He  is  a  faithful  officer  and  enjoys  the  entire  confi- 
dence of  the  church  and  community.  He  enlisted  in  the  late 
war  on  the  Union  side  and  did  valiant  service.  He  was  active 
in  putting  many  of  his  race  over  on  the  Union  side,  where  they 
enjoyed  freedom.  He  was  a  brave  soldier.  In  attempting  to 
get  some  of  his  people- from  Savannah  over  on  the  Yankee  side 
he  encountered  the  enemy,  who  commanded  him  and  his  faith- 
ful few  to  halt.  This  command  was  given  to  the  wrong  man. 
He  was  willing  to  meet  death  rather  than  obey  that  command. 
He  knew  it  was  death  to  obey  and  could  but  be  death  to  diso- 
bey, hence  the  war  began  between  them,  in  which  he  was  ter- 
ribly wounded.  He  made  good  his  escape,  however,  to  the 
Union  soldiers.  He  is  still  alive,  but  unable  to  work  from  the 
effects  of  the  wound  he  received  on  that  occasion.  He  is  pen- 
sioned by  the  United  States,  but  not  near  so  much  as  he  should 
be.     He   is   an   humble  man,   meek  and  full  of  faith,  and  is 


178 


History  of  the  First 


beloved  by  the  entire  church.  He  is  one  of  the  most  polite  men 
in  the  world.  Whatever  duty  is  assigned  to  his  hands  will  be 
done  with  promptness  and  accuracy.  There  is  not  a  deacon  or 
a  member  connected  with  the  church  that  has  suffered  more 
for  his  race  than  Deacon  Haynes.  He  is  a  true  man.  and  would 
have  been  a  leader  in  any  age  and  of  any  people.  He  is  a  nat- 
ural detective,  and  as  a  shrewd  man  he  has  few  equals.  As  a 
Mend  he  is  true,  lasting  and  tender.  He  is  forbearing  and  ex- 
tremely kind,  and  is  an  honor  to  our  church  and  race.  He  loves 
to  work  for  his  Master,  and,  though  wounded,  always  does  his 
part.  He  is  possessed  of  indomitable  courage  and  great  zeal, 
coupled  with  a  clear  judgment  and  profound  discretion. 


DEACOX    JAMES    H.  HOOKER 

was  born  in  Savannah,  Ga.,  January  30th.  1835,  and  was  baptized 
into  the  fellowship  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  January 
2,  1862,  by  Rev.  \Y.  J.  Campbell.  He  was  elected  deacon  of  the 
church  November  25th.  1877.  He  was  the  same  day  elected  treas- 
urer of  the  church.  He  was  elected  trustee  of  the  church  Decem- 
ber 16th,  1877.  As  a  deacon  Mr.  Hooker  is  blameless,  humble, 
loving  and  very  kind.  He  reverences  the  church  of  Christ.  He 
has  a  good  report  by  them  that  are  without.  The  members 
have  unbounded  confidence  in   him.     No   man   in   Savannah 


African  Baptist  Church.  179 


stands  higher  than  Deacon  Hooker.  He  is  a  man  of  few  words, 
but  of  a  princely,  large  heart.  He  was  with  the  majority  dur- 
ing the  church  trouble.  During  this  time  he  was  elected  to 
offices  already  mentioned.  He  comes  as  near  as  frail  man  can 
meeting  Paul's  requirements  of  a  deacon.  As  a  treasurer,  he  is 
pure,  and  not  even  a  whisper  of  his  ever  having  done  wrong 
with  the  money  of  the  church.  Every  cent  was  accounted  for 
to  the  fullest  satisfaction  of  the  church.  He  would  be  treasurer 
to-day  but  for  a  severe  attack  of  pneumonia  and  nervous  pros- 
tration, which  the  doctors  declared  unfitted  him  for  any  re- 
sponsible office  ;  that  he  could  not  stand  the  care  of  this  office, 
and  so  he  resigned,  to  the  regret  of  the  church.  As  a  trustee, 
he  is  honest,  wise  and  faithful.  The  interest  of  the  church  can- 
not suffer  in  his  hands.  He  believes  that  God  ordained  that  he 
should  fill  these  offices,  and  hence  he  fills  them  as  in  the  sight 
of  God.  If  all  of  our  officers  in  all  the  churches  were  to  feel 
this  way  our  churches  would  be  a  power  in  the  world.  He  was 
ordained  as  deacon  December  6th,  18S5,  by  Revs.  E.  K.  Love, 
U.  L.  Houston  and  S.  A.  MclSTeal.  Deacon  Hooker  is  still 
alive,  exerting  a  powerful  influence  for  good.  He  is  a  man  of 
means  and  rules  well  his  own  house.  He  scarcely  finds  time  to 
visit  any  other  church  when  his  church  is  open.  Deacon 
Hooker  owns  a  fine  brick  residence,  and  lives  in  comfort  and 
ease. 

DEACON  L.  J.  PETTIGREW 

was  born  in  Scriven  county,  Ga.,  April  9th,  1847.  He  was  con- 
verted to  God  in  July,  1867,  and  was  baptized  into  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  first  African  Baptist  Church  by  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell. 
Mr.  Pettigrew  was  elected  deacon  of  the  church  October  22d, 
1877,  during  the  great  trouble  of  the  church.  He  was  an  active 
and  conspicuous  character  in  the  trouble  of  1877,  and  took  a 
strong  stand  with  the  majority  against  the  deacons  and  pastor. 
There  was  not  a  person  more  prominent  in  the  whole  affair 
than  Mr.  Pettigrew.  He  was  very  shrewd  and  crafty,  and  much 
of  the  planning  is  due  to  him.  He  was,  prior  to  this  trouble, 
one  of  Mr.  Campbell's  most  trusted  friends,  and  his  not  going 
with  him  must  have  taken  the  old  man  with  great  surprise. 
Mr.  Pettigrew  was  also  clerk  of  the  church.  He  was,  therefore, 
one  of  the  most  important  men  in  the  conflict  after  the  matter 
reached  the  courts ;  much  depended  upon  him  for  documentary 
evidence.  This  duty  was  well  performed.  He  was  very  active 
in  supporting  Mr.  Gibbons  for  the  pastorate  of  the  church.  He 
resigned  the  offices  of  deacon  and  clerk  in  1882.     However,  he 


180 


History  of  the  First 


still  wielded  a  wonderful  influence  in  the  church.  He  was 
largely  instrumental  in  securing  the  call  of  Rev.  E.  K.  Love. 
He  was  Dr.  Love's  fast  friend.  Mr.  Pettigrew  is  a  man  of  keen 
foresight,  quick  perception,  and  ready  argument.  He  is  kind- 
hearted,  friendly  and  generous.  He  still  lives,  a  member  of  the 
church,  with  a  host  of  friends.  He  is  generally  successful  in 
whatever  scheme  he  undertakes  in  the  church,  being  very  artful. 


DEACON   JOSEPH    C.  WILLIAMS 

was  born  in  Jefferson  county,  Ga.,  May  15, 1843.  He  was  con- 
verted to  God  in  May,  1868,  and  was  baptized  into  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  by  Rev.  W.  J.  Camp- 
bell. Mr.  Williams  was  a  very  prominent  character  in  the 
great  trouble  of  1877,  and  was  elected  deacon  in  that  year. 
He  stood  by  the  church  against  the  old  deacons  and  pastor.  It 
was  rather  surprising  to  the  old  man  that  his  spiritual  son  Joe 
should  go  against  him,  but  such  was  true.  Deacon  Williams 
took  a  strong  stand  and  contributed  no  little  to  the  planning  of 
the  majority;  he  was  fearless  and  outspoken;  he  was  generous 
and  kind-hearted,  cheerful  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties,  and 
had  a  large  following.  Mr.  Williams  supported  Mr.  Gibbons  for 
the  pastorate  of  the  church.  He  was  not  a  warm  supporter  of 
Mr.  Love,  and  resigned  the  office  of  deacon  about  the  time  Mr. 


African  Baptist   Church.  181 

Love  was  called.  He  still  lives,  a  member  of  the  church.  Mr. 
Williams  is  naturally  intelligent  and  well  suited  to  lead.  He 
is  dignified  in  bearing,  affable  and  polite  in  manners,  and  he  is 
generous  and  kind.  As  a  friend  he  is  tender  and  true,  and  he 
has  a  large  and  tender  heart.  He  is  shrewd  and  much  given  to 
technicalities.  He  is  artful  in  debate,  pointed  in  argument,  and 
bold  and  fluent  in  speech.  He  is  a  leader  among  men.  He 
was  much  opposed  to  Mr.  Young  about  the  money  affair.  He 
believed  him  guilty  and  contended  that  he  should  be  expelled. 
To  this  opinion  he  stuck.  Mr.  "Williams  might  be  made  still 
more  useful  than  he  is.  To  him  is  due  more  than  to  any  living 
man  the  fact  that  Rev.  Campbell  was  never  expelled.  This 
makes  him  the  wisest  and  safest  leader  on  the  side  of  the  ma- 
jority.    But  for  him  the  trouble  would  have  been  fiercer. 

DEACOX  JCH]\T   H.  BROWX 

was  born  in  Savannah,  Ga.,  August  5th,  1855.  He  was  con- 
verted to  God  in  the  year  1873,  and  was  baptized  into  the  fel- 
lowship of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  by  Rev.  W.  J. 
Campbell.  He  was  elected  deacon  in  the  year  1875.  He  was 
assistant  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school  under  Deacon  C. 
L.  DeLamotta,  and  acquiesced  with  him  in  his  action  respect- 
ing the  Sunday  school  letter  already  referred  to.  He  was  urged 
by  his  loving  pastor  to  accept  the  superintendency  of  the  Sun- 
day school,  vice  Deacon  C.  L.  DeLamotta  removed,  but  he 
stubbornly  refused  and  suffered  himself  expelled  for  contempt 
of  church.  This  was  suicide.  There  could  have  been  no 
righteous  agreement  between  him  and  Mr.  DeLamotta  which 
would  have  made  it  ungodly  for  him  to  accept  this  responsible 
position  to  do  good  in  his  Master's  vineyard.  But  he  did  not 
see  duty  in  this  light,  and  for  several  years  he  remained  out  of 
the  church.  During  this  period  he  spent  his  time  visiting  the 
white  churches.  Intellectually,  he  was  greatly  benefited.  In 
the  trouble  of  1877  he  put  in  his  appearance  time  enough  to 
put  in  some  telling  work  against  Rev.  Campbell.  He  was,  ed- 
ucationally, the  ablest  man  on  the  side  of  the  majority.  Every 
single  document  of  any  note  during  that  time  was  his  produc- 
tion. He  is  still  among  the  ablest  men  connected  with  the 
church,  intellectually.  When  he  was  restored,  he  became  dea- 
con again  and  assistant  superintendent  again.  He  was  elected 
vice-president  of  the  Missionary  Baptist  Sunday  School  Conven- 
tion of  Georgia  in  1881,  and  was  elected  president  of  the  same 
in  1882.  He  has  since  filled  that  office  with  honor,  dignity  and 
ability.     He  has  for  many  years  been  secretary  of  the  Mount 


182  History  of  the  First 


Olive  Baptist  Association.  He  was  elected  clerk  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Baptist  Convention  of  Georgia  in  1886,  which  office  he 
has  since  filled  most  satisfactorily.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
State  Centennial  Committee,  and  is  its  clerk.  Whatever  office 
he  is  elected  to,  he  will  fill  with  credit  and  satisfaction.  He  is 
superintendent  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  Sunday 
School.  In  this  sphere  he  is  still  doing  great  good.  His  great 
fault  as  a  leader  is  that  he  is  universally  tardy,  and  seldom 
ever  reaches  any  meeting,  church  or  otherwise  on  time. 

DEACON  WILLIS  HARRIS 

was  born  about  1842.  He  was  converted  to  Christ  about  1867, 
and  was  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the  First  African  Bap- 
tist Church  by  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell.  He  was  elected  deacon 
of  this  church  about  1874.  Shortly  afterwards  he  was  deposed 
from  this  office.  He  doubtless  cultivated  a  dislike  for  Deacon 
Robert  P.  Young  and  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell,  whom  he  decided 
were  instrumental  in  getting  him  out  of  office.  Hence  he  set 
in  to  watch  them  to  see  what  he  could  see.  He  appears  to 
have  been  determined  to  get  something  on  them  or  make  it. 
He  saw  Deacon  Young  put  a  basket  of  money  (already  de- 
scribed in  a  previous  chapter)  under  or  on  the  pedals  of  the 
organ  in  the  choir,  and  told  the  sexton  about  it  and  had  him  to 
remove  it.  H  e  scattered  it  over  town  the  next  day  that  Young 
had  stolen  a  basket  of  money.  Deacon  Young,  however,  had 
told  Deacon  F.  M.  Williams  of  the  incident  before  leaving  the 
church.  Deacon  Young  affirmed  that  the  basket  was  removed 
before  he  could  get  it  to  bring  down.  Mr.  Harris  certainly  did 
not  act  the  part  of  a  christian  nor  of  a  wise  detective.  As  a 
christian,  he  should  have  labored  with  Deacon  Young  to  re- 
claim his  erring  brother.  If  Deacon  Young  heard  him,  he  had 
gained  his  brother  and  the  matter  should  have  ended  there. 
As  a  detective,  he  should  have  waited  for  Mr.  Young  to  return 
for  the  money  and  let  him  have  attempted  to  leave  the  church 
and  then  have  found  the  money  on  his  person.  He  seemed  to 
have  been  so  anxious  that  he  did  neither  of  these  things.  It  is 
clear  that  he  meant  mischief,  and  he  caused  the  church  to  reap 
a  terrible  harvest  of  bickering,  disaffection,  sorrow  and  heart- 
aches for  seven  weary  years.  He  brought  the  money  to  the 
church  a  night  or  two  after  this  and  attempted  to  present  it  in 
open  church,  affirming  that  he  had  caught  Mr.  Young  stealing 
it.  ISTot  long  did  vengeance  suffer  him  to  go  free.  He  was 
caught  stealing  from  a  Mr.  Douglass,  in  whose  employ  he  was. 
The  extent  of  his  stealings  has  never  been  determined.     He  had 


African  Baptist   Church.  183 

many  dollars'  worth  of  goods  bid  about  the  church  (being  at 
the  time  sexton  of  the  church)  and  many  more  at  his  home. 
He  was  arrested,  found  guilty  and  sentenced  to  seven  years  in 
the  penitentiary  at  hard  labor,  where  he  is  still.  This  was  a 
righteous  retribution  for  the  troubles  and  heartaches  he  caused 
in  Israel.  The  frowns  of  Almighty  God  seem  to  have  rested 
upon  the  man. 

DEACON  JOHN  C  HABERSHAM 

was  born  in  Mcintosh  county,  Ga.,  April  20th,  1838.  He  was 
converted  to  Christ  and  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the 
Bryan  Neck  Baptist  Church  in  1852  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Edwards. 
He  joined  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  of  Savannah  in 
1866.  He  was  elected  deacon  of  this  church  October  22d,  1S77. 
This  was  during  the  troubles  of  1877.  He  was  a  conspicuous 
character  in  that  trouble,  taking  a  strong  stand  on  the  side  of 
the  majority  against  the  pastor  and  deacons.  He  is  strong  in 
the  faith ;  of  determined  resolution  and  of  iron  will.  H  e  is  very 
popular  and  has  a  large  influence  among  the  membership.  He 
loves  his  church  most  ardently,  and  whatever  tends  to  advance 
its  interest  he  is  found  in  the  foremost  ranks.  His  motion  to 
sustain  the  motion  of  Mr.  Joseph  C.  Williams  against  Deacon 
R.  P.  Young,  after  he  had  been  forgiven  by  the  church,  is 
largely  responsible  for  the  continuation  of  the  terrible  church 
trouble  which  begun  in  1877.  Perhaps  he  had  no  idea  of  the 
heartaches  and  sorrow  that  little  motion  would  breed.  He  still 
lives,  and  is  exerting  a  good  influence.  He  is  active  and  pious 
and  full  of  faith.  He  possesses,  in  a  large  measure,  the  gift  of 
preaching,  and  should  he  enter  the  ministry  he  would  be 
acceptable  to  the  people  and  would  do  great  good  in  the  vine- 
yard of  the  Lord.  There  is  a  sweetness  in  his  voice  that  wins 
the  attention  of  his  hearers.  He  has  studied  well  the  Bible,  and 
may  yet  do  good  service  in  the  ministry.  Mr.  Habersham  is  a 
very  determined  man.  "Whatever  he  undertakes  he  goes  into 
with  all  of  his  soul,  and  never  fails.  He  is  a  born  leader.  In 
every  contest  of  the  officers  for  prizes  for  popularity,  or  raising 
money  otherwise,  for  the  church,  he  always  beats,  hence  it 
must  be  that  he  has  more  influence  than  any  of  them. 

DEACON   PETER  HOUSTON 

was  born  in  Savannah,  Ga.,  about  1820.  He  was  converted  to 
God  about  1840,  and  was  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the 
First  African  Baptist  Church  by  Rev.  Andrew  C.  Marshall.  He 
was  clerk  of  the  church  for  quite  a  long  time.     As  a  clerk  he 


184  History  of  the  First 


was  faithful  and  punctual.  He  was  one  aniong  a  very  few  who 
were  able  to  take  minutes  before  the  war.  He  was  a  slave,  yet 
he  managed  to  acquire  some  education.  He  was  a  useful  mem- 
ber. Whatever  Mr.  Houston  said  could  be  relied  upon.  He 
was  as  true  as  steel.  As  a  man  he  was  fearless  and  perfectly 
honest.  He  was  outspoken  and  friendly.  He  was  expelled  for 
taking  a  sister  to  law.  He  did  not  feel  that  his  expulsion  was 
justifiable,  and  never  returned  to  the  church  while  Rev.  Mr. 
Campbell  was  pastor.  He  remarked  to  Mr.  Campbell  when  he 
was  expelled  :  "  Never  mind,  when  you  will  be  going  out,  I  will 
be  coming  in."  This  proved  to  be  absolutely  true,  though  it 
was  said,  evidently,  in  a  bad  spirit.  The  day  Rev.  Campbell 
went  out  of  the  church,  Mr.  Houston  met  him  at  the .  door  and 
called  his  attention  to  his  phophecy  j^ears  ago,  to  which  Rev. 
Campbell  replied :  "  Do,  Houston,  for  God's  sake,  let  me 
alone!"  The  old  man  prophesied  in  return  that  no  good  would 
follow  Houston,  which  proved  to  be  equally  as  true.  Mr.  Hous- 
ton was  in  1877  made  deacon  of  the  church.  He  was  a  very 
efficient  deacon,  and  had  more  influence  than  any  other  man 
on  the  staff.  The  people  believed  him  absolutely.  He  was 
an  upright,  virtuous  christian  gentleman,  and  stood  perfectly 
fair  in  the  community.  He  did  not  favor  Rev.  Mr.  Gibbons 
for  pastor.  He  was,  it  is  believed,  assassinated.  The  prevalent 
opinion  is  that  he  was  smothered  and  thrown  in  the  river. 
This  occurred  one  Saturday  night  in  1883.  He  had  just  finished 
the  erection  of  a  prayer  house  in  South ville,  where  he  lived, 
and  it  was  to  be  dedicated  by  Rev.  Gibbons  on  the  next  Sab- 
bath. Mr.  Houston  was  missed  at  the  time,  and  a  great  con- 
cern was  felt.  The  people  suspicioned  that  something  had  hap- 
pened, as  Mr.  Houston  was  a  very  punctual  man,  and  as  there 
was  a  case  to  come  up  in  the  United  States  District  Court  on 
Monday  in  which  Mr.  Houston  was  a  witness,  and  as  he  had 
told  the  parties  that  he  would  tell  the  truth,  and  as  the  truth 
would  injure  the  parties  concerned,  it  was  suspicioned  that  he 
was  killed.  Hence  a  party  was  organized  to  drag  the  river  for 
him.  The  suspicion  proved  to  be  true,  as  he  was  found  in  the 
river  some  days  afterward.  The  guilty  parties  escaped  justice 
as  it  could  not  be  determined  who  perpetrated  the  atrocious 
deed.  The  whole  church  mourned  for  this  good  man.  The 
church  lost  an  able  and  faithful  deacon  and  the  community  a 
good  and  useful  citizen.  There  is  an  opinion  of  the  minority 
of  the  people  that  he  committed  suicide  because  of  domestic 
troubles.  This  is  hardly  true,  as  this  trouble  had  been  going  on 
for  some  time  and  as  he  had  faithfully  promised  to  conduct  the 


African  Baptist  Church.  185 

dedication  of  his  prayer-house  the  next  day.  This  man  was 
greatly  beloved  of  the  church. 

DEACON   MOSES   L.    JACKSOX 

was  born  in  Savannah,  Ga.,  in  1837.  He  was  converted  to 
Jesus  in  1858,  and  was  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the  First 
African  Baptist  Church  by  Eev.  \V.  J.  Campbell.  He  was  an 
active  member  of  the  church  and  was  always  influential.  He 
was  appointed  deacon  of  the  church  in  1877,  and  was  prominent 
in  the  famous  church  troubles  of  that  year,  taking  sides  with 
the  majority  against  the  deacons  and  pastor.  He  was  one  of 
Mr.  Willis  Harris'  witnesses  in  the  R.  P.  Young  case,  and  tes- 
tified that  Mr.  Willis  Harris  did,  on  the  first  Sunday  afternoon 
in  August,  call  his  attention  to  the  fact  that  Young  had  con- 
cealed a  basket  of  money  in  and  about  the  organ.  Deacon 
Jackson  became  one  of  the  most  useful  and  influential  deacons 
in  the  church,  and  was  of  incalculable  service  to  the  pastor. 
The  poor  had  in  Mr.  Jackson  a  special  friend.  He  would  walk 
the  city  over  in  visiting  the  poor  and  praying  for  the  sick  and 
burying  the  dead.  In  fact,  Mr.  Jackson  knew  more  about  the 
members  than  did  the  pastor.  He  was  very  much  beloved  and 
wielded  an  immense  influence  in  the  church.  H  e  had  a  large 
number  of  spiritual  children  over  whom  he  had  almost  absolute 
control.  He  taught  a  private  school,  but  got  his  living  mainly 
from  his  spiritual  children.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  the 
third  Sunday  in  October,  1885.  Mr.  Jackson,  as  a  preacher, 
was  not  very  logical,  nor  profound  nor  accurate,  but  his  earn- 
est and  tender  devotion  quite  atoned  for  this  with  the  people. 
He  loved  to  preach,  and  always  did  so  with  a  most  graceful 
smile.  He  was  quite  gentlemanly  and  dignified,  and  a  faithful 
servant  of  God.  The  church  greatly  misses  him,  and  his  place 
is  hard  to  fill.  He  died  of  dropsy  in  September,  1887,  and  was 
followed  to  his  last  resting  place  by  a  multitude  of  mourners. 
Mr.  Jackson's  good  work  was  not  confined  to  the  city,  but  he 
delighted  to  go  into  the  country  places,  scattering  seeds  of 
kindness  for  his  reaping  when  he  would  be  gathered  to 
the  saint's  rest  in  glory.  He  was  a  man  of  a  large  heart. 
His  work  follows  him,  and  he  is  remembered  with  much  ten- 
derness. He  died  in  the  full  triumph  of  the  christian  faith, 
and  with  a  smile  on  his  face  he  bade  this  world  farewell.  There 
never  was  a  deacon  in  the  church  nor  pastor  who  did  the  visit- 
ing and  praying  Mr.  Jackson  did.  He  knew  almost  the  entire 
membership  and  they  knew  him.  A  faithful  man  has  been 
gathered  home. 


186  History  of  the  First 


DEACON  ALEXANDER  RANNAIR 

was  born  in  Savannah,  Ga.,  October  9th.,  1846.  When  he  was 
seventeen  years  old  he  embraced  the  christian  religion,  and  in 
September,  1863,  was  baptized  at  Guy  ton,  Ga.,  by  Rev. 
Sweat,  having  been  carried  there  by  his  owners.  He  returned 
to  Savannah  in  1864,  and  became  a  member  of  the  First  African 
Baptist  Church.  In  1866  he  became  a  member  of  the  choir, 
in  which  he  has  sung  for  twenty-four  years.  In  January,  1886, 
he  was  elected  deacon.  Mr.  Rannair  was  the  person  who  barred 
the  choir  door  against  Deacon  Robert  P.  Young,  and  told  him 
that  the  choir  did  not  want  any  communion  from  him.  From 
this  rash  act  of  Mr.  Rannair  the  terrible  law  suit  begun.  Mr. 
Rannair  was  indicted  for  disturbing  the  public  worship  and 
fined  ten  dollars,  together  with  several  others.  He  became, 
therefore,  a  prominent  figure  in  the  trouble  of  1877.  Mr.  Ran- 
nair is  quite  intelligent,  and  it  is  passing  strange  that  he  should 
have  taken  such  an  unwarranted  and  unwise  course.  Surely 
$23.32  could  not  have  been  the  cause  of  this  feeling  when  it 
is  not  quite  certain  that  Deacon  Young  meant  to  steal  the  money. 
It  seems  that  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  would  have 
taught  more  christian  forbearance  and  patient  investigation. 
However,  Mr.  Rannair  was  backed  by  a  large  majority  of  the 
church,  and  his  conviction  in  the  courts  amounted  to  nothing 
with  the  church.  Deacon  Rannair  is  still  very  popular  and 
stands  well  with  the  church.  He  is  a  faithful  member  and  very 
much  devoted  to  his  church.  He  is  beloved  and  trusted  by  his 
brethren.  Mr.  Rannair  has  a  very  pleasing  address  and  digni- 
fied manners.  He  is  still  a  live  and  active  member,  full  of 
promise.     His  character  is  good. 

DEACON  R.  H.  JOHNSON 

was  born  near  Savannah,  Ga.,  December  17th,  1845.  He  was 
converted  to  Christ  January,  1873,  and  was  baptized  by  Rev. 
George  Gibbons  into  the  fellowship  of  the  First  African  Baptist 
Church  on  the  first  Sunday  in  February,  1873,  the  Rev.  J.  W. 
Campbell  being  sick.  He  was  not  very  officious  in  the  trouble 
of  1877.  He  is  a  man  of  few  words  and  very  pleasant  man- 
ners. He  is  very  kind  and  polite.  He  is  a  most  devoted  mem- 
ber of  the  church.  He  is  kingly  in  his  appearance  and  earnest 
in  his  work  for  the  church.  He  is  never  absent,  unless  he  is 
sick,  or  some  other  providential  hinderance.  Mr.  Johnson  has 
a  very  winning  way  and  the  members  love  him  devotedly.  Mr. 
Johnson  was  elected  deacon  of  the  church  in  January,  1886. 


African  Baptist  Church. 


187 


He  proved  to  be  a  faithful  officer  and  an  invaluable  help  to  the 
pastor.  He  favored  Rev.  E.  K.  Love  as  pastor  of  the  church 
and  did  all  in  his  power  to  secure  his  election  as  pastor.  ISTo 
deacon  of  the  church  is  more  active  than  Deacon  Johnson.  He 
loves  his  work  and  takes  pleasure  in  visiting  the  sick  and  poor 
in  his  ward,  and  has  very  few  cases  of  discipline  from  his  ward. 
As  a  man  and  as  a  christian  Deacon  Johnson  stands  well  and 
has  the  fullest  confidence  of  the  church  and  community.  Dea- 
con Johnson  is  unassuming,  humble,  patient  and  full  of  the 
holy  ghost  and  faith.  He  has  filled  his  office  with  honor  to  the 
church  and  credit  to  himself.  The  church  has  a  just  cause  to 
be  proud  of  him. 


DEACON   E.    C.    JOHNSON 

was  born  in  Bryan  county,  Ga.,  November  20,  1850,  and  was 
brought  to  Savannah  when  quite  a  child.  He  was  converted  to 
Christ  July  20,  1870,  and  was  baptized  on  the  first  Sunday  in 
August  of  the  same  year  by  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell.  He  was 
elected  deacon  of  the  church  in  January,  1886.  Deacon  John- 
son is  a  quiet,  dignified,  upright  christian  gentleman.  He  is 
blameless,  a  man  retired  in  manners  and  of  very  few  words — 
absolutely  has  nothing  to  say  in  church  conferences  except  cir- 
cumstances force  him.     Whenever  he  does  speak  he  is  pointed, 

13 


188  History  of  the  First 


brief  and  powerful,  and  his  words  well  selected  and  never  fail 
of  force  upon  the  people.  His  life  is  always  an  eloquent  appeal 
in  his  favor.  He  has  the  entire  confidence  of  the  church  and 
community  and  is  greatly  beloved.  He  was  elected  treasurer 
of  the  church  in  the  latter  part  of  1886,  vice  Deacon  J.  H. 
Hooker  resigned.  The  finances  of  the  church  have  been  per- 
fectly safe  in  his  hands,  and  have  been  faithfully  and  ably  man- 
aged. The  church  could  not  have  elected  a  better  man  were  it 
to  try  it  over  a  thousand  times.  Deacon  Johnson  is  a  faithful 
man,  pious  and  upright,  and  loves  his  church  and  pastor  de- 
voutly. He  was  a  warm  supporter  of  Rev.  E.  K.  Love  for  the 
pastorate,  and  has  always  stood  ready  to  assist  and  protect  him. 
The  church  is  his  delight,  and  nothing  is  too  great  for  him  to 
undertake  for  Zion.  He  is  kind  to  everybody  and  is  beloved 
by  all  good  people.  He  is  active  and  energetic,  not  easily  dis- 
couraged, and  is  full  of  faith  and  hope.  He  has  "purchased  to 
himself  a  good  degree  and  great  boldness  in  the  faith." 

DEACON  F.  J.  WEIGHT 

was  born  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  December  24th,  1857.  He  was 
brought  to  Savannah  while  quite  young.  He  embraced  Jesus 
in  1879,  and  was  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the  First  African 
Baptist  Church  July  6th,  1879,  by  Rev.  George  Gibbons.  Mr. 
Wright  grew  up  in  the  Sunday  school.  He  is  still  a  faithful 
and  efficient  teacher  in  the  Sunday  school.  He  is  honest  and 
fearless.  He  was  an  ardent  admirer  of  Rev.  E.  K.  Love.  He 
was  made  a  deacon  of  the  church  January,  1886.  He  was  stub- 
bornly opposed  by  quite  a  number  of  the  members,  but  was 
elected  by  a  handsome  majority.  Several  points  were  raised 
upon  his  character,  but  these  all  proved  futile.  Mr.  Wright's 
patience  was  greatly  tried  and  his  character  subjected  to  the 
severest  scrutiny.  All  this  he  bore  in  an  humble,  Christ-like 
manner,  which  won  the  commendation  of  even  his  enemies. 
Mr.  Love  was  accused  of  favoring  Mr.  Wright  and  even  plan- 
ning for  his  election.  The  charges  purported  to  have  come 
from  Mr.  A.  M.  Monroe.  Upon  investigation  they  proved  to 
be  true  and  Mr.  Monroe  was  expelled.  The  objections  raised 
against  Mr.  Wright  were  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Toby  Loyd  (a 
member  of  the  church)  who  accused  Mr.  Wright  with  criminal 
intimacy  with  his  wife.  These  were  not  sustained  and  Mr. 
Loyd  begged  the  church's  pardon.  A  man  of  iron  will,  inde- 
fatigable courage  and  christian  devotion  to  the  church.  He 
has  won  the  confidence  of  the  church  and  is  regarded  as  one 
of  the  most  honest,  straightforward  men  in  the  church.     He 


African  Baptist   Church.  189 

stood  by  Mr.  Love  when  other  officers,  nearly  all  of  them, 
doubted  the  wisdom  of  undertaking  the  extension  of  the  build- 
ing. He  urged  that  the  work  could  be  done.  He  gave  very 
liberally  of  his  personal  money  for  the  work.  He  is  the  young- 
est officer  in  the  church.* 

The  officers  about  whom  nothing  is  said  is  due  to  the  fact 
that  nothing  beyond  their  names  could  be  learned  of  them. 
Indeed,  it  was  no  easy  job  to  get  the  facts  in  the  lives  of  those 
who  are  still  alive.  This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  they  came  along 
in  the  dark  days  of  slavery  when  their  owners  kept  the  records. 

REV.  JAMES   J.  SEVORRES 

was  born  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  December  18th,  1853.  He  was 
converted  to  Christ  in  1869,  and  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of 
the  Tabernacle  Baptist  Church,  Beaufort,  S.  C,  by  Bev.  Beter 
White  in  April,  1869.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Mount 
Zion  Baptist  Church  in  April,  1883.  He  joined  the  First  Afri- 
can Baptist  Church  of  Savannah  by  letter  from  the  Mount 
Zion  Baptist  Church  November,  1881.  He  was  called  to  ordi- 
nation by  the  First  African  Baptist  Church,  and  was  ordained 
by  Revs.  E.  K.  Love,  D.  D.,  U.  L.  Houston,  and  S.  A.  McXeal. 
December  6th,  1885.  Bev.  Mr.  Sevorres  is  an  intelligent  young 
man,  quite  gentlemanly,  honest  and  upright.  He  attended  the 
Atlanta  Baptist  Seminary  for  a  short  while,  and  made  very 
commendable  progress  in  his  studies.  It  was  very  much 
regretted  by  his  friends  that  he  could  not  spend  more  time 
there,  as  he  certainty  would  have  made  a  much  more  able  man. 
He  was  for  a  short  while  missionary  of  the  Mount  Olive  Baptist 
Association,  and  did  earnest  work  in  its  service.  He  loves  his 
Master's  work,  and  slights  no  opportunity  to  speak  for  Jesus. 
He  is  a  pretty  fair  preacher  for  his  opportunities.  He  is  well 
known  to  the  country  churches  where  he  so  much  delights  to 
preach  Jesus  to  the  people,  and  the  common  people  hear  him 
gladly.  Mr.  Sevorres  is  an  earnest,  forcible  preacher.  As  a 
man  he  is  reliable  and  upright.  As  a  member  of  the  church  he 
is  faithful  and  humble,  and  has  the  entire  respect  and  confi- 
dence of  the  people. 

*Sinee  the  above  was  written  we  regret  very  much  to  say  that  Deacon  F.  J. 
Wright  has  proved  to  be  a  failure  as  a  deacon.  He  is  vulgar  in  the  extreme  and 
double-tongued.  He  has  been  expelled  from  the  church  and  is  now  at  large  in 
the  wild  world.  He  abused  the  pastor  most  shamefully  and  several  other  of  the 
members.  He  could  not  stand  the  honor  and  promotion  and  got  entirely  beside 
himself  and  the  patience  of  the  church  ceased  to  be  a  virtue  and  he  was  ex- 
pelled. We  hope  that  the  spirit  may  force  him  to  repentance.  The  prophecy  of 
many  of  the  old  members  that  the  church  would  regret  electing  Mr.  Wright  a 
deacon  proved  to  be  true  to  the  chagrin  of  his  friends. 


190 


History  of  the  First 


MR.    W.    G.    CLARK, 

Licentiate  "W.  Gr.  Clark  was  born  in  Columbia  county,  Ga., 
September  17,  1843,  and  while  quite  young  was  brought  to  Sa- 
vannah. He  was  converted  May  8, 1869,  and  was  baptized  into 
the  fellowship  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  June  5,1869, 
by  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell.  Mr.  Clark  was  one  of  Rev.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell's strongest  supporters  in  the  trouble  of  1877,  and  went  with 
Mr.  Campbell  to  the  Beach,  remaining  with  him  until  he  died, 
when  he  returned  to  the  church.  Mr.  Clark  is  an  earnest 
worker  for  Christ.  He  grew  up  in  the  Sunday  school,  and  has 
for  years  been  a  faithful  teacher  in  it.  His  work  is  not  confined 
to  the  city,  but  he  delights  to  go  into  the  country  among  the 
poor  and  forsaken  and  publish  the  news  of  salvation.  He  visits 
the  hospital  and  prays  for  the  sick  and  tells  them  of  Jesus.  He 
was  licensed  to  preach  May  15, 1887.  He  is  of  great  service  to  the 
pastor  and  church  in  visiting  the  sick  and  attending  funerals. 
For  his  chances  he  is  a  good  preacher,  and  give  promise  of  great 
usefulness  in  the  pulpit.  Mr.  Clark  stands  perfectly  fair  in  the 
community  and  is  much  beloved  by  the  church.  He  is  an  upright 
christian  gentleman,  very  polite,  forbearing,  dignified  and  kind. 
He  is  well  acquainted  with  the  scriptures   and   his  sermons 


African  Baptist   Church.  191 

abound  in  apt  illustrations.  He  always  preaches  on  the  practi- 
cal order,  never  making  any  attempt  at  oratory  or  eloquence. 
He  puts  those  to  thinking  who  hear  him.  He  is  a  straightfor- 
ward, honest  man,  and  no  one  can  sa}*-  aught  against  him.  He 
delights  to  do  right  and  is  always  willing  to  do  something  for 
his  church.  As  a  man  Mr.  Clark  is  true ;  as  a  Mend  he  is  con- 
stant.    He  is  a  first-class  man. 

BROTHER   JOHX   E.    C4RAXT 

was  elected  deacon  of  the  church  in  January,  1886,  but  declined. 
He  is  a  whole-souled  man  and  passionately  devoted'  to  the 
church.  He  made  the  motion  that  the  church  undertake  the 
purchase  of  the  property  in  rear  of  its  building.  This  was 
grandly  successful,  to  the  fullest  satisfaction  of  the  church.  He 
did  much  personally  for  the  accomplishment  of  this  end,  and 
can  never  be  forgotten.  He  was  with  Deacon  Haynes  when  he 
got  shot.  Mr.  Grant  did  valiant  service  on  the  Union  side 
during  the  late  war  and  was  active  in  help  freeing  his  people. 
He  is  highly  respected  and  has  the  entire  confidence  of  the 
church  and  coniniunity.  Mr.  Grant  is  a  man  of  determined 
will  and  indefatigable  courage.  He  is  a  true  and  tried  citizen. 
He  never  fails  to  fill  his  seat  in  the  church,  except  for  good  rea- 
sons. He  is  a  very  good  man,  with  faith,  zeal  and  very  good 
judgment. 

MR.  C.  H.  EBBS,  CLERK, 

was  born  in  Savannah,  Ga.,  March  17th,  1854.  He  was  con- 
verted to  God  December  26th,  1865,  and  was  baptized  into  the 
fellowship  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  of  Savannah  by 
Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell  January  7th,  1866.  He  was  elected  clerk 
of  the  church  January  6th,  1878.  Mr.  Ebbs  is  a  fine  penman 
and  infinitely  the  best  clerk  the  church  ever  had.  He  is  faith- 
ful, accurate,  loving  and  kind.  He  is  a  member  of  many 
societies,  and  is  the  clerk  of  nearly  every  one  of  them.  Mr. 
Ebbs  has  served  the  church  for  ten  successive  years.  The 
church  could  not  elect  a  better  clerk.  Mr.  Ebbs  is  very  friendly 
and  polite.  He  has  a  great  deal  of  patience  and  great  meek- 
ness. ISTo  man  in  the  church  is  more  humble  than  Mr.  Ebbs ; 
in  conferences  and  other  deliberative  bodies  his  voice  is  seldom 
heard.  Mr.  Ebbs  is  a  self-made  man,  and  withal  is  real  intelli- 
gent. Whatever  duty  is  assigned  to  his  hands,  will  be  done 
with  precision,  accuracy  and  promptness.  Mr.  Ebbs  is  very 
useful  to  the  church. 


192 


History  of  the  First 


MRS.    M.    M.    MONROE,    ORGANIST, 

was  born  in  Savannah,  Ga.,  September  5,  1857.  She  was  con- 
verted to  Christ  December  22,  1871,  and  was  baptized  into  the 
fellowship  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  the  first  Sunday 
in  August,  1872,  by  Eev.  W.  J.  Campbell.  She  was  elected 
organist  in  1874.  She  is  a  true  Baptist,  a  consistent  mem- 
ber of  the  church,  and  is  faithful  and  punctual,  never  being 
five  minutes  late.  She  spares  no  pains  to  raise  her  chil- 
dren in  the  fear  of  the  Lord.  It  does  not  matter  how  the 
weather  is,  Mr.  A.  M.  Monroe,  wife  and  children  are  generally 
at  the  church.  No  member  in  the  church  has  better  trained 
children.  She  plays  well  and  has  a  host  of  friends.  She  at- 
tended the  Atlanta  University  for  several  years. 


African  Baptist  Church.  193 


CHAPTEK  XVIII. 

The  Centennial  Celebration  of  the  Church — The  Sermons, 
Papers,  &c. 

AFTER   A   CENTURY. 

One  hundred  years  have  passed  since  the  organization  of  the 
first  negro  Baptist  church  in  Georgia,  and,  so  far  as  history 
relates,  the  first  in  the  United  States. 

In  October,  1884,  in  the  city  of  Milledgeville,  Rev.  E.  K.  Love 
called  the  attention  of  the  Executive  Board  of  the  Missionary 
Baptist  State  Convention  to  the  fact  that  we  were  nearing  our 
centennial,  and  offered  a  set  of  resolutions  looking  forward  to 
the  celebration  of  the  happy  event.  (He  was  then  missionary 
of  the  State  of  Georgia,  and  not  pastor  of  the  First  African  Bap- 
tist Church.)  This  fact,  together  with  the  resolutions,  were 
reported  to  the  Missionary  Baptist  Convention  of  the  State  of 
Georgia  in  its  session  at  Cartersville,  Ga.,  May,  1885.  This 
was  heartily  endorsed,  and  a  State  Centennial  Committee  ap- 
pointed, consisting  of  Revs.  W.  J.  White,  J.  C.  Bryan,  E.  K. 
Love,  G.  H.  Dwelle,  C.  T.  Walker,  C.  H.  Lyons,  E.  R.  Carter, 
T.  M.  Robinson,  and  Deacon  J.  H.  Brown.  At  this  session  of 
the  convention  the  name  of  Rev.  S.  A.  MclSTeal  was  added  to 
the  Centennial  Committee.  These  were  appointed  to  raise 
means  and  to  plan  generally  for  the  celebration.  Rev.  W.  J. 
White  was  elected  chairman ;  Rev.  C.  H.  Lyons,  treasurer,  and 
Deacon  J.  H.  Brown,  secretary. 

The  committee  employed  Rev.  J.  C.  Bryan  as  traveling  finan- 
cial agent.  A  better  selection  could  not  have  been  made.  It 
was  also  determined  to  get  out  a  book  containing  the  history  of 
the  negro  Baptists  for  the  past  one  hundred  years,  of  which 
Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  D.  D.,  was  appointed  editor-in-chief;  Rev.  W. 
J.  White  compiler,  and  Rev.  E.  R.  Carter  and  Deacon  J.  H. 
Brown  appointed  to  gather  historical  data.  This  committee 
was  composed  of  the  ablest  men  of  our  denomination  in  Geor- 
gia, and  notwithstanding  they  worked  most  assiduously  they 
failed  to  get  out  the  book.  This  was  no  fault  of  theirs.  The 
undertaking  was  quite  a  great  one  and  attended  with  much 
expense.  It  is  still  the  determined  resolution  of  the  committee 
to  get  out  the  book,  but  this  will  require  hard  work,  much 
money,  time  and  patience. 


19 Jp.  History  of  the  First 


At  the  session  of  the  convention  in  Brunswick,  May,  1887,  the 
committee  was  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  the  chairman  from 
each  associational  centennial  committee.  This  was  an  increase 
of  about  fifty  members.  The  congratulations  of  the  denomina- 
tion are  due  to  this  committee  for  the  able,  faithful  and  ardu- 
ous labors  Which  brought  a  pleasing  success  to  our  centennial 
celebration.  The  interest  these  brethren  manifested  in  the 
work  was  simply  wonderful.  They  have  inscribed  their  names 
upon  the  pages  of  history  as  legibly  as  the  stars  upon  the  brow 
of  the  evening.  Their  names  shall  be  enrolled  upon  the  sacred 
scroll  of  history  among  those  few  immortal  names  which  were 
born  never  to  die.  "When  they  shall  stand  upon  the  interlacing 
margin  of  eternity  and  hear  the  shouts  of  their  welcome  borne 
to  them  by  angelic  harpers  from  the  other  golden  shores,  they 
may  rejoice  in  the  consoling  fact  that  their  brethren  upon  this 
terrestrial  globe  are  not  less  silent  in  their  praise  while  they 
sing  in  human  tongue  in  concert  with  the  angels,  "  Blessed  are 
the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  from  hence  forth ;  yea,  saith 
the  spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their  labors,  and  their  works 
do  follow  them." 

At  the  session  of  the  convention  in  Brunswick,  May,  1887, 
the  following  special  programme  committee  was  appointed: 
Brethren  A.  Harris,  W.  J.  White,  E.  K.  Love,  J.  M.  Simms,  J. 
H.  Brown,  D.  Waters,  J.  C.  Bryan,  U.  L.  Houston,  C  T. 
Walker,  E.  B.  Carter,  S,  A.  McNeal.  This  Committee,  led  by 
Bev.  Alexander  Harris,  chairman,  did  its  work  in  an  able 
manner,  and  reflects  great  credit  on  the  denomination.  They 
prepared  the  following  programme: 

CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION   OP   THE   NEGRO    BAPTISTS  OF    GEORGIA, 

TO  BE  HELD  IN  SAVANNAH,  GA.,  COMMENCING  WEDNESDAY, 

JUNE  6,  AND  CLOSING  MONDAY,  JUNE  18,  1888. 

Committee — Bev.  Alexander  Harris,  Chairman,  Savannah, 
Ga.;  Bev.  IT.  L.  Houston,  Savannah,  Ga.;  Bev.  J.  M.  Simms, 
Savannah,  Ga.;  Bev.  David  Waters,  Savannah,  Ga.;  Bev.  E.  K. 
Love,  D.D.,  Savannah,  Ga.;  Bev.  C.  T.  Walker,  Augusta,  Ga.; 
Bev.  E.  B.  Carter,  Atlanta,  Ga.;  Bev.  J.  C.  Bryan,  Americus, 
Ga.;  Deacon  J.  H.  Brown,  Secretary. 

PROGRAMME. 

Wednesday,  June  6th — 9  to  10  a.  m. — Praise  Service,  led  hy 
Bev.  Henry  Way,  Hawkinsville,  Ga. 

I. — 10  a.  m.— Welcome  Address,  by  Bev.  E.  K.  Love,  Savan- 
nah, Ga. 


African  Baptist   Church.  195 

II. — 11  a.  m. — Opening  Sermon,  by  Eev.  C.  T.  Walker,  Au- 
gusta, Ga. 

III.— 12  m.— History  of  the  Church,  by  C.  A.  Clark,  Bruns- 
wick, Ga. 

IV. — 3  p.  m. — Baptist  Doctrine,  Bev.  C.  H.  Lyons,  Atlanta, 
Ga.;  Bev.  S.  A.  McNeal,  Augusta,  Ga.,  and  Bev.  J.  M.  Pendle- 
ton, D.D.,  Pa. 

V. — 4:30  p.  m. — New  Testament  Policy,  Bev.  E.  M.  Brawlev, 
D.D.,  Greenville,  S.  C;  Bev.  W.  E.  Holmes,  A.  M.,  Atlanta. 
Ga.;  Bev.  A.  F.  Owens,  Mobile,  Ala. 

Night  Session,  8  o'clock — VI. — Peculiarities  of  Baptists  that 
distinguish  them  from  all  other  people,  Bev.  AY.  J.  Simmons. 

D.  D.,  Bev.  C.  H.  Parish,  A.  B.,  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  Bev.  C.  S. 
Wilkins,  West  Point,  Ga. 

Thursday,  June  7th — 9  to  10  a.  m. — Praise  Service,  led  by  Bev. 

E.  W.  Walker,  Dawson,  Ga. 

VII. — 10  a.  m. — Baptist  Church  History,  by  Bevs.  W.  J. 
White,  G.  H.  Dwelle,  Augusta,  Ga.,  and  Bev.  W.  H.  Tillman, 
Atlanta. 

VIII. — 11:30  a.  m. — Beminiscences  of  the  Baptist  Fathers 
and  the  Church  during  one  hundred  years,  Bevs.  Levi  Thorn- 
ton, Greensboro,  Ga.;  J.  M.  Simms.  Savannah,  Ga.,  and  Alex- 
ander Harris,  Savannah,  Ga. 

IX.— 3  p.  m.— The  Wants  of  the  Colored  Ministry,  Eev.  W. 
H.  Mcintosh,  D.  D.,  Macon,  Ga.;  Bev.  Alexander  Ellis,  Savan- 
nah, Ga.,  and  Bev.  W.  G.  Johnson,  Augusta,  Ga. 

X.— 4:30  p.  m.— The  B  elation  of  the  White  and  Colored  Bap- 
tists in  the  Past,  Now,  and  as  it  should  be  in  the  Future,  Bev. 
T.  J.  Hornsby.  Augusta;  Bev.  G.  S.  Johnson,  Thomson,  Ga., 
and  Bev.  J.  B.  Hawthorne,  D.  D.,  Atlanta,  Ga. 

Night  Session,  8  o'clock — Sermon  by  Bev.  E.  B.  Carter,  At- 
lanta, Ga. 

9  to  10  a.  m — Praise  Service,  led  by  Bev.  C.  A.  Johnson, 
Americus,  Ga. 

XI. — 10  a.  m. — The  Home  Mission  Society  and  its  Work  for 
the  Colored  People,  Dr.  A.  E.  Williams,  Crawford ville,  Ga.; 
Prof.  S.  Y.  Pope,  Waynesboro,  Ga,;  Bev.  G.  A.  Goodwin, 
Gainesville,  Fla.,  and  Bev.  S.  Graves,  D.  D  ,  Atlanta,  Ga. 

XII. — 12:30  p.  m. — Woman,  Her  Work  and  Influence,  Misses 
S.  B.  Packard,  Atlanta,  Ga.;  J.  P.  Moore,  New  Orleans,  La. .  and 
Bev.  L.  Burrows,  D.  D.,  Augusta,  Ga. 

XIII — 3  p.  m. — The  American  Baptist  Publication  Society 
and  its  Work  for  the  Colored  People,  Bev.  E.  K.  Love,  Savan- 
nah, Ga.;  Bev.  NT.  W.  Waterman.  Thomasville,  Ga.;  Bev.  G.  B. 


196  jjistouy  of  the  First 


Mitchell,  Forsyth,  Ga.,  and  Rev.  B.  Griffith,  D.  D.,  Philadel- 
phia, Pa. 

Night  Session,  8  o'clock — XIV. — Education,  Dr.  J.  H.  Bugg, 
Lynchburg,  Ya.;  Rev  J.  A.  Metts,  Hightown,  X.  J.,  and  Bev. 
J.*  A.  Battle,  D.  D  ,  Macon,  Ga. 

Saturday,  June  9th. — 9  to  10  a.  m. — Praise  Service,  led  by  Rev. 
John  Williams,  Brunswick,  Ga. 

XV. — 10  a.  m. — The  Bible  as  Believed  by  Baptists,  Revs. 
J.  C.  Bryan,  Americus,  Ga.;  H.  X.  Bouey,  Columbia,  S.  C;  G. 
M.  Sprattling,  Brunswick,  Ga.,  and  P.  S.  Henson,  D.  D.,  Chi- 
cago, 111. 

XVI.— 12  m—  The  Authenticity  of  the  Bible,  Rev.  David 
Shaver,  D.  D.,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  and  Rev.  H.  H.  Tucker,  D.  D., 
Atlanta,  Ga. 

XVII. — 3  p.  m. — The  Dignity  of  the  Ministry  and  the  Nec- 
essary Qualification  to  Fit  Them  for  Their  Work,  Revs.  E.  R. 
Carter,  Atlanta,  Ga.;  C.  H.  Brightharp,  Mi  Hedge  ville,  Ga.;  E. 
V.  White,  Thomson,  Ga ,  and  Dr.  J.  B.  Broadus,  Louis- 
ville, Ky. 

Sunday,  June  10th. — Divine  Services. 

Monday,  June  11th. — 9  to  10  a.  m. — Praise  Service,  led  by  Rev. 
Floyd  Hill,  Athens,  Ga 

XVIII. — 10  a.  m. — The  Duty  of  Baptists  to  Home  Missions, 
Revs.  W.  H.  McAlpin,  Montgomery,  Ala ;  J.  M.  Jones,  C.  0. 
Jones,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  and  E.  J.  Fisher.  La  Grange,  Ga. 

XIX. — 12  m. — Temperance,  Hon.  J.  W.  Lyons,  Augusta,  Ga., 
and  Rev.  S.  D.  Rosier,  Midville,  Ga 

XX. — 3  p.  m  — The  Duty  of  Baptists  to  Foreign  Missions, 
Revs.  J.  E.  Jones,  W.  W.  Colley,  and  J.  H.  Pressly,  Virginia. 

XXI. — 4.30  p.  m. — Baptist  Newspapers  and  their  Influence, 
Revs.  S.  T.  Clanton,  D.  D  ,  Xew  Orleans,  La.;  J  T.  White,  He- 
lena, Ark  ,  and  Deacon  W.  H.  Stewart,  Esq.,  Louisville,  Ky. 

Night  Session,  8  o'clock. — XXII. — Scriptural  Divorce,  Revs. 
A.  S.  Jackson,  Xew  Orleans,  La.,  and  C.  O.  Booth,  Selma,  Ala. 

Tuesday,  June  12th. — 9  to  10  a.  m.— Praise  Service,  led  by  Rev. 
Henry  Morgan,  Augusta,  Ga. 

XXIII — 10  a.  m. — Are  We  Advancing  as  a  Denomination? 
Deacon  J.  H.  Brown,  Savannah,  Ga.;  Prof.  M.  J.  Maddox, 
Gainesville,  Fla.;  Prof.  M.  P.  McCrary,  Valdosta,  Ga.,  and  Rev. 
T.  Xightingale,  Memphis,  Tenn. 

XXIV.— 12  m—  The  Bible  as  Suited  to  the  Elevation  of  Man- 
kind, Revs.  J.  E.  L.  Holmes,  D.  D.,  Savannah,  Ga.,  and  W.  W. 
Landrum,  D.  D.,  Richmond,  Va. 


African  Baptist   Church.  197 

XXV.— 3  p.  m— The  Duty  of  the  Pastor  to  the  Church, 
Revs.  J.  W.  Dungee,  Augusta,  Ga.;  J.  G.  Phillips,  Aiken,  S.  C, 
and  E.  W.  Warren,  D.  D.,  Macon,  Ga. 

XXVI.— 4.30  p.  m.— The  Duty  of  the  Church  to  the  Pastor, 
Prof.  Isaiah  Blocker,  Augusta.  Ga.,  Deacon  R.  H.  Thomas,  Sa- 
vannah, Ga.,  and  Rev.  J.  L.  Underwood,  Camilla ,  Ga. 

Night  Session,  8  o'clock— XXVTL.— Sermon  by  Rev.  T.  M. 
Robinson,  Macon,  Ga. 

Wednesday,  June  13th. — 9  to  10  a.  m. — Praise  Service,  led  by 
Louis  Williams,  Washington,  Ga. 

XXVIIL— 10  a.  m.— What  is  Our  Duty  to  the  Baptist  Insti- 
tutions of  the  Country?  Rev.  A.  Bings,  Jr.,  Col.  A.  R.  Johnson, 
Prof.  H.  L.  Walker,  Prof.  T.  M.  Dent,  Augusta,  Ga. 

XXIX. — 12  m. — The  Importance  of  Pure  Baptist  Literature, 
Revs.  E.  P.  Johnson,  Madison,  Ga.;  J.  G.  Ross,  Jacksonville, 
Fla. 

XXX.— 3  p.  m.— The  Purity  and  Work  of  the  Church,  Rev. 

C.  G.  Holmes,  Rome  Ga.;  Henry  Jackson,  Augusta,  Ga.,  and  J. 
B.  Davis,  Atlanta,  Ga 

XXXI- 4.30  p.  m  —The  Deacons  and  their  Dutv,  Revs.  J.  H. 
DeVotie,  D.  D.,  G.  R.  McCall,  D.  D.,  Griffin,  Ga. 

Night  Session,  8  o'clock — XXXII. — Money  as  a  Factor  in 
Christianizing  the  World,  Revs.  W.  R.  Pettiford,  Birmingham, 
Ala.;  R.  N.  Counter,  Memphis,  Tenn.,  and  Prof.  J.  G.  Mitchell, 
Malvern,  Ark. 

Thursday,  June  llfth — 9  to  10  a.  m. — Praise  Service,  led  by 
Rev.  U.  L  Houston. 

XXXIII. — 10  a.  m. — Baptist  Church  Government,  Revs.  J. 
L  Dart,  Charleston,  S  C;  H.  J.  Europe,  Mobile,  Ala.;  H.  A.  D. 
Braxton,  Baltimore,  Md. 

XXXIV.— 12:30  p.  m.— God  as  Revealed  in  Xature,  Rev.  H. 
H  Tucker,  D.  D  ,  Atlanta,  Ga. 

XXXV. — 3  p.  m  — Christian  Baptism,  Rev.  J.  H.  Kilpatrick, 

D.  D  ,  White  Plains,  Ga. 

XXXVI. — 4  p.  m. — Independence  of  a  Baptist  Church,  by 
Rev.  W.  L.  Kilpatrick,  D.  D  ,  Hepzibah,  Ga. 

Night  Session,  8  o'clock. — Preachiug.  x 

Friday,  June  loth. — 9  to  10  a.  m. — Praise  Service,  led  by  Rev. 
C  T.  James,  Baconton,  Ga. 

XXXVII— 10  a.  m.— The  Duty  of  Baptists  to  give  the  World 
the  Gospel,  Rev.  AV.  L.  Jones,  Atlanta,  Ga.;- John  Marks,  Xew 
Orleans,  La  ;  E.  R.  Reid,  Valdosta,  Ga.,  and  Rev.  A.  S.  Jack- 
son, Xew  Orleans,  La. 

XXXVIII— 12  m—  The  Final  Perseverauce  of  Saints,  by 
Rev.  E.  Lathrop,  D.  D.,  Stamford,  Ct. 


198  History  oj  the  First 


XXXIX. — 3  p.  m. — Our  Duty  as  Citizeus.     Unassigned. 

Night  Session,  8  o'clock — Preaching. 

Saturday,  June  16th. — Devoted  to  Sunday  school. 

Sunday  Morning,  June  17th  — Devoted  to  Sunday  school. 

Afternoon — Sunday,  3  p.  m. — Dedication  First  Bryan  Baptist 
Church. 

Monday  and  Tuesday  devoted  to  miscellaneous  subjects. 

The  persons  to  whoni  this  is  sent,  whose  names  appear  on  the 
programme  for  an  address  or  sermon,  will  please  signify  their 
acceptance  by  addressing  REV.  A.  HARRIS, 

"William  Street,  Savannah,  Ga. 

All  these  brethren  did  not  come,  and  some  of  those  who  did 
come  spoke  extemporaneously.  Those  who  spoke  from  manu- 
script their  productions  are  given  in  this  work.  At  the  session 
of  the  Missionary  Baptist  Convention,  May,  1888,  just  preced- 
ing the  centennial  celebration,  Rev.  W.  S.  Ramsey,  of  Colum- 
bus, Ga. ,  stated  that  since  the  centennial  celebration  must  be  in 
honor  of  some  church  as  the  oldest,  and  that  since  both  the  First 
African  Baptist  Church,  Franklin  Square,  Savannah,  Ga  ,  and 
the  First  Brj^an  Baptist  Church  on  Bryan  street,  in  Yamacraw, 
claim  to  be  the  original  First  African  Baptist  Church,  it  seemed 
befitting  to  him  that  a  committee  of  judicious  brethren  should 
be  appointed  before  whom  the  claimants  should  go  in  person 
and  with  papers.  The  convention  then  appointed  the  follow- 
ing brethren  as  that  committee:  Rev.  F.  M.  Simmons,  Stone 
Mountain,  Ga  ;  E.  J.  Fisher,  La  Grange,  Ga.;  Rev.  W.  S.  Ram- 
sey, Columbus,  Ga.;  Rev  X.  B.  Williamson,  Quitman,  Ga  ;  Rev. 
H.  B.  Hamilton,  Walthourville,  Ga.,  Rev.  S.  A.  McNeal,  Au- 
gusta,   Ga.,   and  Rev.    C.    H.  Brightharp,   Milledgeville,    Ga. 

Rev.  James  M.  Simrns.  representing  the  First  Biwan  Baptist 
Church,  gave  notice  that  the  representatives  from  said  church 
would  not  appear  before  the  committee.  The  committee,  how- 
ever, having  the  book  he  had  just  published  purporting  to  be 
the  history  of  the  oldest  Negro  Baptist  Church  in  North 
America,  which  book  set  forth  his  claims  as  cogently  as  he  pos- 
sibly could  have  done.  Putting  this  book  in  evidence  the  com- 
mittee proceeded  to  make  the  following  report,  which  was 
unanimously  adopted : 

REPORT  OF  SPECIAL  COMMITTEE. 

We,  your  committee,  to  whom  were  referred  the  matter  of 
priority  of  the  First  Bryan  Baptist  Church  on  Bryan  street,  in 
Yamacraw,  or  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  at  Franklin 


African  Baptist   Church.  199 

Square,  beg  to  submit  the  following  report :  Having  the  facts 
in  the  case,  which  we  think  are  conclusive,  we  earnestly  state 
that  the  conclusion  to  which  your  committee  has  arrived  was 
caused  solely  from  the  facts  at  their  command.  We  regret  to 
state  that  one  of  the  parties  refused  to  appear  before  your  com- 
mittee, notwithstanding  being  urged  upon,  namely,  Rev.  J.  M. 
Simms,  for  the  First  Bryan  Church  in  Yamacraw.  It  does 
strike  us  that  men  feeling  that  they  had  a  good  case  would  not 
refuse  to  be  examined.  These  brethren  have  openly  and  de- 
fiantly refused  in  the  presence  of  this  convention,  to  lay  their 
case  before  you  or  the  committee,  declaring  that  you  have 
nothing  to  do  with  it,  and  they  had  nothing  for  you  to  decide. 
Your  committee  proceeded  to  perform  their  work.  Having 
seen  the  book  written  by  Rev.  J.  M.  Simms  purporting  to  be 
the  true  history  of  the  oldest  colored  Baptist  church  in  North 
America,  your  committee  feels  that  the  book  makes  their  case 
as  strong  as  they  could  possibly  make  it.  We  find  that  the 
church  organized  at  Brampton's  Barn,  three  miles  southwest  of 
Savannah,  January  20th,  1788,  is  the  same  First  African  Bap- 
tist Church  to-day.  This  fact  is  admitted  by  the  book  which 
Rev.  Simms  has  written.  Until  1832  there  was  no  dispute 
about  the  first  A.  B.  Church,  but  in  the  year  1832  a  great 
trouble  occurred  which  continued  for  several  months.  Many 
councils  were  called,  who  advised  again  and  again  a  course, 
which,  if  pursued,  would  restore  peace  to  the  grand  old  army, 
then  numbering  2,795  members  and  divided  into  two  parties, 
the  one  led  by  Rev.  Andrew  Cox  Marshall  and  the  other  by 
Deacon  Adam  Arguile  Johnson.  Two  thousand  six  hundred 
and  forty  following  Rev.  Marshall  and  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
five  following  Deacon  Johnson.  It  appears  to  your  committee, 
from  the  evidence  found,  that  before  this  trouble  the  church 
had  contracted  to  buy  the  white  Baptist  church  located  at 
Franklin  Square,  hence,  when  the  trouble  occurred,  Rev.  Mr. 
Marshall  and  his  2,640  members  went  to  Franklin  Square,  still 
owning  the  site  on  Bryan  street,  in  Yamacraw.  The  white 
Baptist  church  of  this  city  took  a  lively  interest  in  the  church, 
and  tried  to  spare  it  of  all  this  bitter  pain  and  heartache,  an 
accurate  account  of  which  has  been  carefully  preserved  in  their 
church  records,  which  has  been  in  the  hands  of  your  commit- 
tee and  carefully  read,  which  we  now  offer  in  testimony.  We 
read  from  the  minute  book  of  the  white  Baptist  church: 

"In  the  conference  of  the  white  Baptist  church,  Dec  21, 1832. 

"An  application  was  made  that  the  minority  of  the  First  Af- 
rican Church  be  received  as  a  branch  of  this  church,  when  it 


200  History  of  the  First 


was  decided  that  it  was  proper  that  they  first  be  formed  into  a 
church  and  afterward  could  come  under  the  supervision  of  a 
committee." 

They  being  refused  admittance  under  the  supervision  of 
the  white  Baptist  church,  it  appears  quite  clear  that  the 
white  brethren  began  to  labor  with  both  parties,  hence  the 
following  petition  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church,  January 
4th,  1833.  The  First  African  Baptist  Church  addressed  the  fol- 
lowing letter  to  the  Savannah  Baptist  Church,  white: 

"  We,  the  subscribers,  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church,  do 
solicit  the  aid  and  protection  of  our  brethren,  the  Baptist  church 
of  Savannah.  We  propose  to  come  under  the  supervision  of  a 
committee  of  your  body,  provided  you  will  receive  us  on  the 
terms  and  conditions  following : 

"1st.  That  we  be  independent  in  our  meetings;  that  is,  that 
we  receive  and  dismiss  our  own  members,  and  elect  and  dismiss 
our  own  officers,  and  finally  manage  our  own  concerns,  inde- 
pendently ;  however,  with  this  restriction :  In  case  any  meas- 
ure is  taken  hy  us  which  shall  seem  to  militate  against  our  good 
standing  as  a  church  of  Christ,  we  shall  submit  it  to  a  commit- 
tee of  five  members,  whom  we  shall  choose  out  of  the  Baptist 
church  of  Savannah,  whose  counsel  we  bind  ourselves  to  follow, 
provided  it  be  not  contrary  to  the  precepts  of  the  gospel. 

"2d.  We  agree  to  hold  no  meetings  for  discipline  or  other 
purposes  until  we  have  duly  notified  by  writing,  one  member  of 
the  Baptist  church,  selected  by  said  church,  to  be  present  and 
agreeing  not  to  pursue  any  measure  such  delegated  member 
shall  deem  improper  until  we  shall  have  had  council  of  the 
above  named  committee. 

"3d.  We  agree  to  relinquish  to  the  minority  of  this  body  all 
our  rights  and  title  to  the  old  church  so  soon  as  they  shall  agree 
to  give  up  and  do  relinquish  to  us  all  right  and  title  to  the  newly 
purchased  one,  and  when  we  are  put  in  full  and  free  possession 
of  it  and  our  trustees,  viz.:  William  H.  Stiles,  Peter  Mitchell 
and  John  Williamson,  shall  satisfy  us  that  they  have  good  and 
sufficient  titles. 

"  4th.  We  agree  to  dismiss  all  members,  and  such  as  have  been 
members  of  our  church,  that  they  may  either  join  another  or 
form  a  new  Baptist  church,  and  as  soon  as  such  church  shall  be 
satisfied  with  and  receive  them,  then  they  shall  be  dismissed 
from  us." 

This  being  accepted  by  both  parties,  the  minority  of  the 
First  African   Baptist  Church   was   organized  into   the  Third 


African  Baptist   Church.  201 

African  Baptist  Church,  for  in  the  minutes  of  the  white  Baptist 
church  January  28th,  1833,  appears  the  following  resolution: 

"Resolved,  That,  inasmuch  as  the  minority  of  the  First 
African  (now  the  Third)  Church  have  conformed  to  the  require- 
ments of  this  church  in  constituting  themselves  into  a  church, 
be  received  under  the  supervision  of  this  body  upon  the  same 
terms  as  the  First  African  Church." 

The  155  was  always  after  the  trouble  of  1832  called  the  mi- 
nority of  the  First  African  church  until  they  were  organized 
into  a  church,  when  they  became  the  Third  African  Baptist 
Church.  To  this  name  they  oifered  no  objection,  nor  for  thirty 
years  was  the  slightest  protest  offered  of  their  being  known  and 
called  the  "  Third  African  Baptist  Church."  In  1833  they  en- 
tered the  Sunbury  Baptist  Association  as  such,  and  their  church 
was  always  recorded  in  their  minutes  as  the  Third  African 
Baptist  Church.  The  Sunbury  Association  expelled  the  First 
African  Baptist  Church  in  November,  1832,  as  the  First  African 
Baptist  Church.  Every  reference  to  this  church  in  public  or  in 
the  minutes  of  the  Savannah  Baptist  Church  book  is  as  First 
African  Baptist  Church.  The  Third  church  themselves  com- 
plained against  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  as  the  First 
African  Bajrtist  Church.  Rev.  Simms,  in  his  book,  admits  that 
the  155  above  mentioned  were  organized  as  the  Third  church ; 
that  is,  he  admits  a  reorganization.  Your  committee  has  seen 
a  sketch  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  from  its  organiza- 
tion in  1788  till  toward  the  close  of  the  administration  of  Rev. 
W.  J.  Campbell  about  1877,  in  Rev.  Simms1  own  handwriting, 
without  any  reference  to  the  First  Biwan  Baptist  Church.  It  ap- 
pears passing  strange  to  your  committee  that  if  the  First  Bryan 
Church  is  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  that  they  do  not  and 
have  not  called  themselves  by  that  name.  The  pastor  of  the 
First  African  Baptist  Church  has  shown  your  committee  the 
deed  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  to  the  spot  of  ground 
which  the  First  Bryan  Baptist  Church  now  occupies.  With  all 
of  these  facts  and  as  many  more  which  have  come  before  your 
committee  as  candid,  God-fearing  men,  we  feel  in  honor  bound 
to  decide  that  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  at  Franklin 
Square  is  the  original  First  African  Baptist  Church,  organized 
at  Brampton  barn  January  20th,  1788,  by  Rev.  Abraham  Mar- 
shall and  Rev.  Jesse  Peter,  whose  centennial  anniversary  we 
have  gathered  to  celebrate.  We  decide,  therefore,  that  the 
claim  of  priority  of  the  First  Bryan  Baptist  Church,  which  has 
given  itself  this  name  since  the  emancipation  and  the  claim  of 


202  History  of  the  First 


the  book  written  by  Rev.   J.  M.  Sinmis,  of  being  the  oldest 
church  (colored)  in  North  America  is  without  foundation. 
Signed,  your  committee.  KEY.  F.  M.  SIMMONS, 

Chairman. 

The  centennial  celebration  of  the  Baptists  of  Georgia,  in  honor 
of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church,  opened  most  solemnly  on 
Wednesday,  June  6th,  1888.  The  members  of  the  First  African 
Baptist  Church  met  at  their  spacious  church  edifice  at  9  o'clock 
in  the  morning  and  marched  out  to  the  Centennial  Tabernacle. 
Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  D.  D.,  and  officers  marched  in  front.  Deacon 
March  Haynes  and  Brother  John  E.  Grant  alternately  bore  the 
banner  of  the  church.  The  procession  was  over  a  mile  long. 
The  Church  entered  the  Tabernacle  singing,  "All  hail  the  power 
of  Jesus' name."  When  Rev.  Alexander  Harris,  chairman  of 
the  programme  committee,  called  the  vast  multitude  to  order, 
he  introduced  Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  D.  D.,  pastor  of  the  First 
African  Baptist  Church,  who  had  been  selected  to  deliver  the 
welcome  address.  Rev.  Dr.  Love  delivered  the  following  ap- 
propriate welcome  address,  which  was  well  received  : 

Dear  Brethren  :  It  falls  to  my  happy  lot  to  bid  you  welcome 
to  Savannah,  to  our  homes  and  to  our  churches  on  this  auspi- 
cious occasion — the  centennial  anniversary  of  our  church. 
From  our  church  the  Negro  Baptists  of  Georgia  commenced. 
After  battling  with  sin  and  Satan  for  100  years,  scattered  all 
over  Georgia,  we  have  returned  as  one  family  again  around  a 
common  family  altar  to  recount  the  labors  of  an  hundred  years, 
to  rejoice  over  the  victories  achieved  and  lament  our  failures. 
As  one  army  of  the  Lord  we  welcome  you.  The  Baptist  star 
which  arose  in  the  eastern  part  of  this  State  an  hundred  years 
ago  has  been  often  covered  by  intense  darkness,  but  which  has 
been  as  often  kissed  away  by  the  sun  of  righteousness  assuring 
us  that  all  was  not  lost,  but  that "  behind  a  frowning  Providence 
he  hides  a  smiling  face." 

We  invite  you  here  as  fellow-citizens  of  the  household  of 
faith.  Our  faith  is  your  faith,  we  love  the  God  you  love,  we 
were  redeemed  by  the  Saviour  who  died  for  you,  we  are  jour- 
neying to  the  same  celestial  city  to  which  you  are  going,  we  are 
traveling  home  to  God  with  you  in  the  way  our  fathers  trod, 
and  our  home  and  glorious  inheritance  is  the  same. 

It  is  very  befitting,  therefore,  that  we  should  welcome  you. 
Our  church  was  planted  in  blood.  Rev.  Andrew  Bryan,  its 
founder  and  first  pastor,  was  whipped  until  his  flesh  was  terri- 
bly torn.     His  blood  ran  freely  and  puddled  by  his  lacerated 


African  Baptist  Church.  203 

body  on  the  ground  for  no  other  crime  than  that  he  preached 
Jesus  to  Africa's  sable  sons  and  daughters  enslaved  in  this 
country. 

When  he  was  commanded  not  to  preach  the  gospel  he  raised 
his  dusky  hand,  stained  in  his  own  blood  drawn  by  his  vile 
persecutors,  and  said  with  a  trembling  voice,  with  that  manly 
heroism  and  christian  courage  that  the  grace  of  God  alone  can 
fan  into  burning  eloquence,  "  If  you  would  stop  me  from  preach- 
ing, cut  off  my  head."  This  humble  statement  from  our  father 
in  Israel  amazed  and  ashamed  his  ungodly  persecutors.  This 
humble  slave,  using  the  weapon  of  warfare  which  is  not  carnal, 
but  mighty  through  God,  conquered  these  human  brutes  and 
through  Christ  won  a  signal  victory  for  the  church.  Our  fathers 
planted  the  banner  of  the  Lord  here  in  sweat,  tears  and  blood, 
around  which  their  children  have  rallied  for  one  hundred  years. 

Oar  troubles  have  been  great,  our  trials  many,  but  we  have 
not  yielded  an  inch  of  ground  to  the  enemy.  We  have  not 
compromised  any  part  of  the  grand  old  principles  that  distin- 
guish us  as  Baptists,  and  though  missiles  most  terrible  from  the 
enemy's  camp  have  been  and  are  being  hurled  at  us,  we  have 
not  nor  will  we  ever  quit  the  field. 

Our  fathers  suffered  nor  do  we  expect  to  shun  the  hallowed 
road  which  they  have  gone.  The  Baptists  of  Savannah,  an 
hundred  years  ago  numbered  only  four  souls,  now  they  number 
something  over  ten  thousand. 

We  all  make  you  welcome  to  our  city.  We  make  you  wel- 
come because  you  come  to  rejoice  with  us.  We  make  you 
welcome  because  you  come  to  speak  words  of  peace  and  com- 
fort to  us,  and  we  bid  you  a  hearty  welcome  because  you  are 
our  brethren.  In  retrospecting  the  ground  over  which  we  have 
come  during  the  last  century,  we  felt  it  becoming  to  invite  you 
to  rejoice  with  us  for  the  train  of  mercies  which  has  followed 
us  for  one  hundred  years. 

THE    FIRST   HUNDRED    YEARS    OF    OUR    EXISTENCE. 

The  nineteenth  century  has  been  a  most  wonderful  century. 
It  begun  upon  an  enslaved  people,  without  liberty,  without 
churches  and  without  a  knowledge  of  Christ.  In  this  awful 
century  our  church  was  organized.  The  nineteenth  century 
is  characterized  by  wonderful  inventions.  Locomotives,  tele- 
graphs, telephones  and  many  other  inventions  came  into  use 
in  this  century.  In  this  busy  and  exciting  century  the  Bap- 
tists of  Georgia  were  born. 

This  century  has  witnessed  a  most  remarkable  change  in  this 
country.     The  slaves  have  been  all  set  free  and  public  opinion 

14 


204  History  of  the  First 


has  been  entirely  revolutionized.  Those  who  were  once  slaves 
now  worship  God  under  their  own  vine  and  fig  tree,  and  no 
one  dares  molest  or  make  us  afraid.  So  wonderfully  has  God 
blessed  us  through  these  weary  years,  that  we  have  felt  it  a 
great  privilege  as  well  as  a  pleasing  duty  to  invite  you  here  to 
celebrate  our  centennial  anniversary.  We  could  do  naught 
else  but  welcome  you.  From  the  depth  of  our  souls  we  wel- 
come you.  We  want  that  you  should  feel  at  home  for  you  are 
at  home  with  your  brethren  around  the  old  family  hearth-stone. 

From  this  time-hallowed  shrine  you  begun.  You  have  been 
spread  over  Georgia  for  an  hundred  years  fighting  for  the  right 
with  heavenly  weapons.  You  have  not  gone  alone.  A  coven- 
ant-keeping God  has  gone  with  you  and  has  prospered  you  in 
the  land  whither  you  have  journeyed,  and  has  added  very 
largely  to  your  number  many  happy  recruits.  After  you  have 
been  gone  for  an  hundred  years,  most  of  which  time  you  have 
spent  in  the  most  cursed  and  disgraceful  system  of  slavery  that 
has  ever  spread  sorrow,  gloom,  heartaches  and  wounds  over  a 
civilized  country,  you  have  returned  to  the  old  parental  home 
to  rejoice  with  the  mother.  The  mother  at  times  has  had  it 
hard ;  she  has  had  untold  sorrows  and  innumerable  difficulties. 
Your  countenance  give  signs  of  careworn  and  inexplicable  anx- 
iety and  suffering  which  tell  me  that  you  have  encountered 
Appolyon  on  your  respective  fields  of  labor  in  the  vineyard  of 
the  Lord,  but  beneath  it  all  I  see  blooming  up  in  your  counte- 
nances evidences  of  that  joy  and  peace  which  only  the  grace  of 
God  can  give. 

From  four,  the  Baptist  family  of  Georgia  has  increased  to 
166,429.  This  is  an  average  of  1664  29-100  a  year.  While  we 
rejoice  over  these  that  the  Lord  has  given  us  in  the  land 
wherein  we  sojourned  as  strangers  we  would  humbly  cry  un- 
worthy and  ascribe  our  conquest  to  the  Lamb,  our  victory  to 
His  blood  and  our  life  to  His  death.  From  one  church,  1,500 
have  sprung  up,  an  average  of  15  a  year.  The  joy  belongs  to 
us  all.     All  the  glory  belongs  to  God. 

We  welcome  you  from  our  hearts.  We  feel  that  we  have 
great  need  to  rejoice  that  God  has  so  wonderfully  blessed  us  in 
letting  our  old  fathers  remain  with  us  so  long  to  give  us  their 
wise  counsel.  We  should  be  thankful  that  the  school  doors 
have  been  thrown  open  and  so  many  of  our  young  men  have 
been  favored  with  educational  advantages  and  are  so  much 
better  prepared  to  preach  the  gospel  than  our  fathers  were.  We 
invite  you  here  after  the  close  of  an  hundred  years  to  rejoice 
over  the  advancement  our  people  have  made  in  the  sciences, 


African  Baptist   Church.  205 

literary  pursuits,  iu  theology  and  in  morality.  The  Baptists 
have  been  great  gainers  in  all  these  virtues  and  attainments. 

More  than  two-thirds  of  the  educated  young  preachers  in 
Georgia  are  Baptists.  In  welcoming  you,  we  rejoice  that  among 
you  are  some  of  the  best  scholars  in  our  race.  We  welcome 
you  as  able  expounders  of  the  sacred  scriptures  and  eloquent 
preachers  of  the  New  Testament.  We  are  glad  to  welcome 
many  of  you  as  professors  of  colleges  and  accurate  teachers  and 
newspaper  editors.  In  welcoming  you,  we  are  glad  to  note  that 
many  of  you  are  comfortably  situated  in  your  own  homes  and 
are  moderately  rich,  and  are  raising  dignified,  interesting  and 
happy  families. 

We  are  glad  that  while  other  denominations  have  made  pro- 
gress that  the  Baptists  have  not  stood  still.  This  denomina- 
tion is  more  largely  responsible  to  give  the  world  the  whole 
truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus  than  any  other.  To  the  Baptist  denom- 
ination the  great  commission  was  given  to  preach  the  gospel  to 
every  creature.  No  denomination  can  stand  so  flat  footed  upon 
the  Bible  as  the  Baptists.  No  denomination  meets  as  few  pas- 
sages in  the  Bible  which  war  with  its  practice  as  the  Baptist 
denomination.  As  Baptists  we  have  nothing  to  fear.  We  are 
gaining  ground.     We  are  proud  to  welcome  you  as  Baptists. 

Our  ministry  of  to-day  is  of  such  that  we  can  look  upon 
with  pleasing  pride,  both  as  men  of  letters,  good  morals,  tem- 
perate, full  of  zeal  and  piety.  We  have  not  retrograded.  Our 
young  men  have  become  learned  and  our  old  men  have  made 
very  commendable  progress. 

Dear  Brethren,  let  us  pray  and  humbly  trust  that  our  meeting 
at  the  close  of  this  century  may  so  inspire,  bless  and  lift  up  our 
people  that  we  may  be  living  afresh  for  the  next  hundred  years. 
If  we  are  not  here  in  person,  it  may  be  our  happy  lot  to  be 
angel  visitors  to  the  next  centennial  celebration  of  the  Negro 
Baptist  of  Georgia.  Then,  the  Lord  grant  that  it  may  be  a 
thousand  times  more  glorious  than  this  one,  and  may  the  fruits 
be  infinitely  more  plenteous,  the  victories  be  far  more  signal 
and  God  more  glorified  in  his  servants. 

May  heaven  more  gently  and  lovingly  smile  over  our  great 
denomination  and  its  wonderful  accomplishments  at  the  next 
centennial  celebration.  God  grant  that  there  may  be  fewer 
if  any  destitute  places  in  Georgia  at  that  time.  Then  when  our 
work  on  earth  is  done,  God  grant  that  we  shall  be  gathered  in 
peace  to  the  saint's  rest  with  our  fathers,  where  congregations 
shall  never  break  up  and  Sabbath  never  end.  And  with  the  re- 
deemed and  sanctified   and   the   countless  number   of  happy 


206  History  of  the  First 


harpers,  we  shall  have  a  never  ending  eternity  in  our  Father's 
house, 

"The  far  away  home  of  the  soul, 

Where  no  storms  ever  beat  on  the  glittering  strand, 
While  the  years  of  eternity  roll" 

to  ascribe  ceaseless  praise  to  the  triune,  God  through  Christ  the 
Captain  of  our  Salvation. 

We  welcome  you  here,  but  on  your  entrance  into  that  glorious 
inheritance,  uncorruptible  and  undefiled,  you  shall  receive  a 
more  glorious  welcome  by  the  celestial  choir  which  will  voice 
in  jarring  hosannas  the  sentiments  of  heaven,  and  added  to  this 
will  be  the  benignant  smiles  of  God  the  Father  and  the  plaudit  of 
Christ  the  Son,  "  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant,  enter  into 
the  joys  of  thy  Lord."  Then  will  your  welcome,  borne  to  you 
upon  the  melodious  songs  of  seraphs,  be  more  pleasing,  charming, 
inspiring  and  infinitely  more  lovely  and  rapturous.  While  we 
watch,  wait,  work,  pray  and  hope  for  this,  let  me  bid  you  thrice 
welcome  to  all  of  the  joys  and  comfort  in  our  power  to  give  you 
now.  In  Jesus'  name  we  make  you  welcome  ye  servants  of 
the  Lord. 


Rev.  C.  T.  Walker  was  next  introduced  to  preach  the  intro- 
ductory sermon. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Walker  opened  the  service  by  singing  a  hymn 
which  he  had  prepared  for  the  occasion.  This  hymn  was  sung 
by  the  vast  multitude  in  such  a  way  that  the  scene  beggars 
description.  The  bosom  of  the  air  never  bore  off  sweeter  strains 
and  the  golden  rays  of  the  sun  never  kissed  more  pleasing  faces. 
The  following  is  the  hymn : 

CENTENNIAL  HYMN. 

BY  C.  T.  WALKER. 

Oh  God,  who  hast  Thy  people  led 

For  these  one  hundred  years, 
A  gospel  table  thou  hast  spread 

Amidst  our  flowing  tears. 

We've  come  through  deserts  dark  and  drear, 
Through  sorrows  and  through  fears, 
Of  mercies  past  we've  come  to  talk 
And  still  renew  our  walk. 

Our  church  was  planted  in  this  State 

A  hundred  years  ago, 
And  at  Thy  feet  we've  learned  to  wait 

Until  we've  seen  her  grow. 

Our  fathers  trusted  in  Thy  name 

And  built  upon  Thy  truth, 
Grant  us  Thy  aid  to  do  the  same. 

And  teach  it  to  our  youth. 


African  Baptist  Church.  207 


Thy  kingdom,  Lord,  is  spreading  wide 

bVom  mountain  to  the  sea, 
Still  let  us  in  Thy  truth  abide 

Till  all  the  world  be  free. 

Oh  God,  we  thank  Thee  for  this  day 

That  celebrates  our  birth, 
May  it  inspire  us  on  our  way 

Until  we  leave  the  earth. 

Oh  Thou,  who  hast  Thy  people  led 

Through  these  one  hundred  years. 

Inspire  our  souls,  dispel  our  fears, 
Feed  us  on  heavenly  bread. 

Kev.  C.  T.  Walker  then  preached  the  following  sermon: 

Numbers  xxiii,  23 :  "According  to  this  time  it  shall  be  said, 
'What  hath  God  wrought?'"  We  stand  to-day  upon  an  emi- 
nence from  which  we  niay  take  a  retrospective  view  of  one 
hundred  years'  journey  of  our  grand  old  denomination  in 
Georgia.  A  glorious  day.  We  have  come  to  celebrate  the 
progress  and  triumphs  of  a  century.  The  cause  we  represent 
is  a  blessed  one.  We  are  here  to  speak  of  the  vicissitudes 
through  which  we  have  passed,  the  conflicts  we  have  encoun- 
tered, the  obstacles  we  have  surmounted,  the  success  attained, 
and  the  victories  already  achieved.  We  are  here  to  pass  up 
and  down  the  line  of  march  from  1788  to  1888. . 

Old  fathers,  worn  and  weary  with  the  burden  and  care  of  a 
long  and  useful  life,  their  heads  whitened  by  the  frost  of  many 
winters,  infirm  and  superannuated,  they  have  come  up  to  shake 
hands  with  the  century,  to  bid  God-speed  to  their  brethren,  and, 
as  Simeon  of  old,  to  exclaim:  "Behold  now,  Lord,  I  have  seen 
Thy  salvation,  now  let  thy  servant  depart  in  peace!"  Young 
men  have  come  to  get  inspiration  from  a  review  of  the  work  of 
the  fathers  and  to  return  to  their  various  fields  of  labor  stimu- 
lated, electrified  and  encouraged  to  make  the  second  century 
far  more  eventful  in  the  propagation  of  the  gospel  and  subjuga- 
tion of  the  world  to  Christ  than  the  first. 

The  colored  Baptist  family  of  Georgia,  representing  166,429 
communicants  have  met  in  the  Forest  City  of  Georgia,  at  the  close 
of  one  hundred  years,  to  give  thanks  to  God  for  what  he  hath 
wrought.  The  great  leaders  of  the  Israelites,  Moses  and  Joshua, 
were  very  solicitous  to  implant  in  the  minds  of  the  people  a 
perpetual  remembrance  of  God's  kindness.  They,  therefore, 
marked  the  stations  and  stages  in  their  progress  with  monu- 
mental circumstances  and  objects.  They  erected  monuments, 
built  altars  and  anointed  pillars  to  be  memorials  of  some  re- 
markable transaction.  It  is  our  duty  to  use  every  possible 
means  of  turning  the  past  into  lessons  of  solemn  admonitions. 
A  reflective,  conscientious,  serious  spirit  will  exhibit  the  intense 


208  History  of  the  First 


illuminations  of  divine  truth  that  kept  the  old  ship  together  all 
these  years ;  we  will  have  illustrations  of  divine  guidance,  and 
receive  strong  manifestations  and  enforcements  of  future  duties 
and  increased  responsibilities  incident  thereto. 

I.  We  shall  discuss  what  God  hath  wrought  in  the  perma- 
nent establishment  of  this  church.  The  illustrious  kingdoms 
of  the  world  were  founded  by  the  world's  renowned  men.  The 
Babylonian  empire,  the  Grecian,  the  Medo-Persian  and  Roman 
empires  owed  their  foundations  to  their  kings  and  emperors. 
There  is  a  prophetic  description  in  Daniel  of  a  stone  being  cut 
out  of  the  mountains  without  hands — that  is,  without  human 
agency,  and  that  that  stone  smote  the  feet  of  the  image,  shat- 
tered it  into  fragments,  and  the  stone  became  a  great  moun- 
tain, filling  the  whole  earth.  This  stone  rolled  forth  from 
Mount  Zion  and  raised  a  dust  which  darkened  the  very  hea- 
vens. It  has  rolled  and  demolished  its  most  powerful  antago- 
nist,, and  has  become  a  great  mountain  that  shall  fill  the  whole 
earth  forever.  The  founder  of  the  true  church  is  Christ.  He 
is  the  Son  of  Abraham,  according  to  the  flesh,  and  He  is  also 
the  true  God  and  eternal  life.  Two  natures  and  three  offices 
mysteriously  meet  in  His  person.  He  is  the  blessed,  bleeding 
sacrifice,  the  sanctifying  altar,  the  officiating  priest,  the  prophet 
of  Israel,  the  prince  of  peace  and  the  author  of  eternal  life. 
He  is  the  foundation  of  His  church,  the  chief  corner-stone,  the 
law-giver  in  Zion.  He  hath  given  us  a  kingdom  that  cannot  be 
moved.  He  is  the  king  of  Zion  who  liveth  forever.  He  himself 
is  the  father  of  eternity.  He  began  in  Asia  to  ride  in  the  gos- 
pel chariot,  sent  out  twelve  small  boats,  and  on  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost added  3,000  to  the  number,  and  in  1630  sent  Roger  Wil- 
liams over  to  America.  He,  in  the  spirit  of  his  master,  planted 
churches  in  New  England,  and  the  stone  continued  to  roll  until 
it  reached  the  sunny  South.  There  the  oppressed,  rejected  and 
enslaved  brother  in  black,  in  A.  D.  1788,  for  the  first  time  in 
Georgia,  lifted  the  Baptist  flag  under  the  leadership  of  Andrew 
Bryan;  here  the  handful  of  corn  was  sown,  not  on  the  high, 
wild,  rocky,  uncultivated  mountain,  but  on  the  seaboard,  and 
the  wind  carried  the  seed  to  every  part  of  Georgia,  and  the  bar- 
ren rocks  and  sandy  deserts  became  as  Jordans  of  the  Lord. 
From  the  handful  of  corn  have  sprung  more  than  1500  churches, 
500  ordained  preachers,  and  166,429  communicants.  The  little 
one  has  become  a  thousand  to-da}^.  She  is  the  mother  of  thou- 
sands of  children  born  in  a  century.  While  Satan  has  tried  to 
destroy  the  true  church  of  God  because  he  sees  in  her  the  artil- 
lery of  heaven  playing  upon  his  fortresses  of  idolatry,  skepticism, 
atheism  and  infidelity,  the  captain  of  our  salvation,  in  the  form- 


African  Baptist  Church.  209 

ation  of  His  church,  laid  the  foundation  deep  and  well.  Having 
routed  the  powers  of  darkness,  on  Calvary  captured  the  captain 
of  the  opposing  host,  he  mounted  the  white  horse  of  the  gospel 
and  will  ride  from  conquer  to  conquer  until  he  has  put  the  last 
enemy  under  his  feet :  too  wise  to  err,  too  powerful  to  be  over- 
come. The  cause  he  has  espoused  must  triumph.  Let  the  Baptist 
family  of  Georgia,  on  this  auspicious  day,  break  forth  in  the 
soul-inspiring  song:  "Arise,  shine,  for  the  light  is  come,  and 
the  glory  of  the  Lord  is  risen  upon  thee.  Gentiles  shall  come 
to  her  light  and  kings  to  the  brightness  of  her  rising.  Her  sons 
shall  come  from  far,  and  her  daughters  shall  be  nursed  at  her 
side.  The  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be  displayed  and  all  flesh 
shall  see  it  together."  The  progress  of  the  Baptists  in  this 
country  is  due  to  the  earnest,  faithful  and  simple  preaching  of 
Christ  crucified  by  the  fathers.  They  did  not  preach  philoso- 
phy, nor  did  they  strive  to  reach  the  people  with  rhetorical 
strains  of  eloquence,  but  by  preaching  the  truth.  The  gospel 
declared  in  its  simplicity  and  truthfulness  will  make  Baptists. 
There  is  about  one  and  a  quarter  million  colored  Baptists  in 
the  United  States.  In  the  "  Story  of  Baptist  Missions  in  Foreign 
Lands,"  by  Bev.  G.  M.  Hervey,  and  in  '•  Jamaica,  Fast  and 
Present,"  by  Rev.  W.  M.  Brown,  M.  D.,  all  give  an  account  of 
a  noble  colored  preacher,  by  the  name  of  George  Leile,  who 
was  brought  from  Virginia  to  Savannah,  Ga..  where  he  re- 
mained until  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war.  His  master 
was  a  British  officer,  and  when  the  British  evacuated  Savannah 
his  master  fled  to  a  more  congenial  clime  and  took  with  him 
his  servant  George  to  the  West  Indies.  They  settled  in  Ja- 
maica and  Geofge  Leile  began  to  preach  in  Kingston  and 
vicinity,  and  founded  the  first  African  Baptist  church  ever  estab- 
lished in  the  West  Indies  with  five  Afro-Americans,  George 
Leile  himself  beiug  one.  No  Protestant  mission,  except  that  of 
Monrovians,  which  had  been  formed  in  1754  in  Jamaica,  but  had 
made  slow  progress.  Leile  baptized  400  converts  in  eight  years, 
and  in  ten  years,  there  were  500  members.  It  has  been  claimed 
that  the  first  Baptist  church  in  the  West  Indies  was  established 
by  the  first  missionary  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society  of 
London ;  but  George  Leile  was  preaching  in  the  West  Indies, 
assisted  by  Moses  Baker,  George  Gibbs  and  others,  as  far  back 
as  1793,  and  when  the  missionary  of  the  Society  of  London 
reached  the  island  in  1814  there  were  not  less  than  3,000  Bap- 
tists on  the  Island.  Bryant  Edwards,  the  historian,  gave  him  a 
contribution  amounting  to  £900,  which  was  spent  in  erecting  a 
chapel.     He  was  thrown  into  prison  for  preaching,  loaded  with 


210  History  of  the  First 


irons  and  tried  for  his  life.  We  find  the  following  in  "  Jamaica, 
Past  and  Present:" 

"Owing  to  the  fearful  state  of  Jamaica  at  that  time  thej^ 
baptized  and  administered  the  Lord's  Supper  at  night  in  unfre- 
quented places,  sought  the  swamps  and  grounds  covered  with 
trees  and  bushes  to  evade  arrest;  but  they  were  found,  and 
called  to  undue  punishment,  the  bitter  effects  of  the  same 
spirit  that  kindled  the  fires  of  Smithfield  and  originated  the 
cruelties  of  the  inquisition.  Jamaica  has  furnished  as  noble  a 
band  of  martyrs  to  the  truth  as  any  part  of  the  world  of  simi- 
lar extent  and  within  the  same  period  of  time  since  the  six- 
teenth century." 

These  were  colored  martyrs,  and  among  the  first  of  the  moral 
heroes  of  the  pioneers  was  George  Leile,  a  negro  Baptist  preach- 
er from  Georgia.  George  Leile  lived  until  1822,  and  went  to 
his  grave  full  of  years  and  good  works,  like  a  shock  of  corn 
fulty  ripe  in  its  season.  Historians,  blinded  by  prejudice,  have 
tried  to  rob  the  brother  in  black  of  the  honor  conferred  upon 
Leile.  The  honor  can  not  belong  to  the  Missionary  Society  of 
London,  for  it  did  not  exist  until  1792,  and  the  Baptist  mem- 
bership in  Kingston  then  was  over  400.  It  can  not  be  given 
unto  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Lnion,  for  it  began  in 
1814.  It  can  not  be  given  to  the  Foreign  Mission  Board  of  the 
Southern  Baptist  Convention,  for  that  began  in  1845.  It  can 
not  be  given  to  the  African  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  of  Rich- 
mond, Va.,  for  it  began  in  1815.  But  the  planting  of  the  first 
Baptist  church  in  the  West  Indies,  so  far  as  human  agency  is 
concerned,  was  inaugurated  by  George  Leile,  the  black  apostle 
of  Georgia,  who  planted  the  standard  of  Christianity  in  the  far- 
off  West  Indies,  and  despite  opposition,  oppression  and  perse- 
cution, he  saw  the  church  strengthened,  prosperous  and  flour- 
ishing. So  Georgia  numbers  thousands  of  sons  and  daughters 
in  the  West  Indies  who  are  bound  to  us  by  the  triple  declara- 
tion of  one  Lord,  one  faith  and  one  baptism.  Well  might  the 
church  sing  to-day,  "Gird  thy  sword  upon  thy  thigh,  oh  thou 
most  mighty,  and  in  thy  majesty  ride  prosperously  because  of 
righteousness,  truth  and  meekness."  Our  fathers  had  in  mind 
the  fact,  as  is  beautifully  expressed  by  the  poet : 

"A  sacred  burden  is  this  life  ye  bear: 
Look  on  it,  lift  it,  bear  it  solemnly; 
Stand  up  and  walk  beneath  it  steadfastly. 
t  ail  not,  for  sorrow  falters  not  for  sin, 
But  onward,  upward,  till  the  good  we  win." 

II.  God  hath  wrought  wonderfully  in  the  foreign  fields.  God 
put  the  magnificent  and  stupendous  enterprise  of  modern  mis- 


African  Baptist   Church.  211 

sions  in  the  heart  of  William  Gary  a  hundred  years  ago.     Dr. 
Somerville  says : 

"In  the  case  of  "William  Cary  we  have  the  example  of  what 
a  single  laborer  in  Christ's  field  may  effect.  Poor  in  worldly 
circumstances,  without  academic  culture,  with  nothing  to 
prompt  or  guide  him  but  the  inspired  word  of  God,  without 
sympathy  from  churches,  in  the  face  of  doubt,  incredulity  and 
disheartening  apathy  on  the  part  of  christian  ministers  and 
people,  but  with  a  courage  that  never  blanched,  a  resolution 
that  nothing  could  withstand,  a  faith  that  never  faltered,  and 
with  a  humility  that  made  him  the  lowliest  and  loveliest  of 
men,  he  set  his  face  towards  British  India,  which  then,  and 
long  after,  scowled  all  missionary  enterprise.  Thirty-four 
translations  of  the  Holy  Scripture  fell  from  his  pen.  twenty- 
seven  mission  stations  and  hundreds  of  schools  were  established. 
He  aroused  the  entire  christian  world  to  its  duty  to  the  heathen, 
and  he  has  given  an  impulse  to  mission  work  that  will  never  die. 
The  Bible  is  being  issued  by  the  million  in  more  than  3-iO  lan- 
guages. The  ordained  missionaries  in  the  fields  of  heathenism 
and  Mohammedanism  exceed  3,100.  More  than  2,300  women 
have  consecrated  their  lives  to  the  work  with  woman's  tender- 
ness and  affection,  with  woman's  unswerving  fidelity,  and  with 
woman's  measureless  love.  So  that  the  number  of  missionaries, 
British,  American  and  Continental,  exceed  5,000  with  the  30,000 
native  helpers.  All  in  a  century.  The  Baptists  of  Georgia  are 
helping  by  contributions  to  give  the  gospel  to  the  heathen,  and 
especially  has  the  grand  old  First  Baptist  Church  of  Savannah 
acted  nobly  her  part  in  disseminating  the  gospel.  Behold  what 
God  hath  wrought  in  this  century.  Nations  will  still  fall  down, 
before  him  and  empire  upon  empire  will  be  conquered,  and 
Christianity  will  spread  from  clime  to  clime,  and  from  pole  to 
pole,  until  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  shall  cover  the  earth  as 
the  waters  doth  the  mighty  deep,  when  there  shall  be  one  peo- 
ple and  one  God.  The  trump  of  jubilee  shall  sound  and  count- 
less numbers  of  the  redeemed  shall  sing  aloud,  Hallelujah,  God 
omnipotent  reigneth.  This  gospel,  which  is  God's  lever,  whose 
fulcrum  is  the  Bock  of  Ages,  will  lift  up  our  degraded,  sin- 
cursed  earth  and  produce  God's  glory  over  the  creation. 

2. — WHAT   HATH   GOD   WROUGHT   PROVIDENTIALLY? 

The  history  of  my  people. — This  century  was  one  of  hard- 
ship, oppression,  persecution  and  sore  trial.  We  were  slaves, 
enslaved  bodies  and  enslaved  minds.  No  moral  training,  no 
intellectual  advantage.  It  was  a  crime  to  read  a  book,  patrolled, 
Spanish-bucked,  run  by  blood-hounds,  whipped  to  death,  put 


212  History  of  the  First 


on  the  auction  block,  sold  from  parents  like  cattle,  husbands 
and  wives  separated,  must  get  a  ticket  to  go  to  church,  get  per- 
mission to  join  the  church,  and  in  many  instances  not  allowed 
to  use  your  own  choice  about  what  church  you  should  join. 

Slavery  was  wrong.  God  was  against  it,  and  He  who  pre- 
sides over  the  destinies  of  nations  in  His  own  good  time  re- 
moved the  foul  blot  from  the  national  escutcheon.  Some  attri- 
bute their  freedom  to  Abraham  Lincoln  and  the  Union  armies, 
but  we  received  our  liberty,  like  Israel  of  old,  from  the  great 
God  of  heaven  and  earth.  God's  operations  may  be  slow  in  the 
incipiency,  but  the  triumph  is  sure  and  not  distant. 

After  four  years  of  the  saddest,  severest  civil  war,  slavery 
fell,  like  Dagon  before  the  Ark,  and  we  were  free.  Emanci- 
pated without  a  dollar,  without  experience,  without  education, 
without  friends  and  without  competent  leaders.  Like  Ishmael 
and  Hagar  turned  out  to  die,  driven  into  the  wilderness.  When 
Prussia  emancipated  her  slaves  they  were  given  a  start  in  life, 
and  when  the  Queen  Regent  of  Spain  emancipated  the  Cuban 
slaves  they  were  given  something  as  a  reward  of  their  past 
faithfulness.  We  were  turned  loose,  unaided  as  we  were,  were 
vested  with  the  right  of  citizenship  at  a  time  when  we  were  un- 
prepared for  it ;  but  despite  all  obstacles  the  negro  in  Georgia  has 
ten  millions  dollars'  worth  of  property  and  has  proven  himself 
worthy  of  citizenship.  Take  our  intellectual  advancement. 
There  are  in  the  public  schools  of  Georgia  thousands  of  chil- 
dren, and  two-thirds  of  them  are  Baptists.  We  have  a  num- 
ber of  high  schools  owned  and  controlled  by  our  associations, 
besides  the  Atlanta  Baptist  Seminary  and  Spellman  Baptist 
Seminary  under  the  auspices  of  the  American  Baptist  Home 
Mission  Society.  Our  men  will  be  found  in  the  legal  fraternity, 
the  medical  professions,  professors  in  our  colleges,  in  the  legis- 
lative hall,  or  the  list  of  authors,  skilled  musicians,  polished 
scholars,  journalists  and  theologians. 

The  Baptists  of  Georgia  are  placed  under  lasting  obligations 
to  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  for  their  sup- 
port and  to  the  Baptist  Publication  Society  for  Baptist  litera- 
ture. The  name  and  memory  of  the  venerable  Dr.  Joseph  T. 
Robert  should  be  cherished  by  every  Baptist  in  Georgia  for  the 
work  he  accomplished  in  preparing  the  leaders  for  the  next 
century.  God  hath  wrought  wonderfully  among  us.  God  is 
still  opening  up  a  way  for  the  spread  and  propagation  of  the 
gospel.  The  way  has  been  opened  for  a  great  outpouring  of 
the  spirit  on  the  Congo  valley.  We  have  come  to  a  period  of 
culmination.  The  cry  is  loud  and  long  for  consecrated  work- 
ers.   The  harvest  is  truly  great  and  the  laborers  are  few.   Take 


African  Baptist   Church.  213 

a  retrospective  view  of  the  work  accomplished  in  one  hundred 
years  under  such  adverse  circumstances.  This  meeting  should 
inspire  every  disciple  to  go  to  his  field  of  labor  with  renewed 
energy  and  courage  to  extend  this  kingdom,  disseminate  the 
gospel  until  every  knee  shall  bow  and  every  tongue  shall  con- 
fess that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father.  I 
have  three  propositions  to  make : 

1.  Systematic  work  and  giving. 

2.  Prayerfulness  for  the  success  of  the  work. 

3.  Earnestness  in  the  proclamation  of  the  truth. 

1st.  Systematic  work  and  giving. — "We  are  living  in  an  age 
of  mental  activity ;  an  age  of  invention  and  wonderful  devel- 
opment; a  busjr,  progressive  age;  a  wonderful  century.  No 
century  of  the  past  has  been  so  remarkable  with  results  as  the 
nineteenth.  The  church  is  the  advance  guard  of  civilization 
and  must  disseminate  the  word  of  life  which  is  like  a  purifying 
bath  and  the  gently  distilling  rain.  The  church  has  sufficient 
material  resources  but  they  are  locked  up,  and  system  and  or- 
der are  necessary. 

Christ  in  order  to  feed  the  hungry  multitude  with  five  barley 
loaves  and  two  small  fishes  required  order  and  system.  He 
commanded  them  to  be  seated  in  groups  or  companies,  and 
when  there  had  been  an  orderly  and  systematic  division  of  the 
multitude  He  said  to  His  disciples,  "Give  ye  them  to  eat/'  We 
are  in  the  midst  of  a  hungry  multitude.  The  marvellous  re- 
sources of  the  church  are  locked  up  within  the  domains  of  the 
church.  The  command  of  the  Saviour  is  ringing  out  loud  and 
clear,  all  along  the  line,  "Give  ye  them  to  eat.''  The  dark  con- 
tinent of  Africa,  with  192,000,000  of  people,  and  only  2,000,000 
have  ever  heard  of  Jesus.  Stanley  has  traced  the  Congo  from 
its  source  in  Eastern  Africa  to  the  Atlantic,  a  distance  of  2,800 
miles,  with  1,000,000  square  miles  of  territory  and  a  population 
of  millions.  What  is  this  but  a  great  door- way  for  Christianity? 
Let  the  progress  and  success  of  the  past  give  us  fresh  inspira- 
tion for  the  future.  Let  Christ's  love  for  us,  and  our  love  for 
Him  in  return,  and  by  our  obedience  to  his  commands,  devo- 
tion to  His  cause,  advance  His  kingdom  by  devising  systematic 
plans  to  feed  the  hungry  multitude  and  make  ready  a  people 
for  the  coming  of  the  Master.     Hasten,  Lord,  the  glorious  time. 

2d.  Prayerfulness  for  the  success  of  the  work. — While  the 
Couucil  of  ISTuremburg  was  signing  the  edict  that  gave  the 
Protestants  their  freedom,  Martin  Luther  was  away  off  in  a 
room  by  himself  praying  for  its  accomplishment.  Though  there 
was  no  line  of  communication  between  the  place  where  the 
council  was  assembled  and  the  room  where  Luther  was  praying, 


21Jf  History  of  the  First 


yet  Martin  Luther  suddenly  arose  from  prayer  and  said:  "It 
is  accomplished.  The  Protestants  are  free.  Victory!  victory!'' 
He  received  what  he  asked  for.  Like  Daniel,  we  are  to  pray 
with  our  face  towards  Jerusalem.  Like  Stephen,  looking  up 
into  heaven.  Like  the  Publican,  with  our  hands  on  our  heart. 
I  heard  Mr.  Andy  Comstock,  of  New  York,  say  last  fall  while 
speaking  before  the  New  York  Baptist  Ministers'  Conference, 
that  the  night  the  Comstock  bill  was  passed  by  Congress  he  was 
in  his  room  at  the  hotel  praying  for  its  passage  the  very  hour 
it  passed,  and  though  he  was  not  informed  of  its  passage  until 
the  next  morning,  he  was  conscious  something  would  be  done. 
Our  own  blessed  Saviour,  who  entered  fully  into  humanity,  en- 
tered into  our  sorrows,  our  woes  and  agonies,  prayed  earnestly, 
tenderty,  affectionately,  and  yet  argumentatively,  for  the  pres- 
ervation of  his  people,  for  their  unity  and  sanctifi cation.  Cold 
mountain  and  the  midnight  air  witnessed  the  fervor  of  His 
prayer.  If  it  became  Him  who  was  holy,  harmless,  undefiled 
and  separate  from  sinners  to  spend  whole  nights  in  the  moun- 
tain praying,  how  much  more  important  is  it  that  His  followers 
spend  much  time  in  earnest  prayer  to  God  for  divine  guidance 
in  discharging  the  weighty  and  responsible  duties  devolving 
upon  them  as  representatives  of  their  Master  whose  glory  they 
must  exhibit,  and  who  must  overcome  the  world  by  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb  through  the  word  of  God,  and  by  the  word  of 
their  testimony.  Mr.  Spurgeon  says  prayer  is  the  rustling  of 
the  wiugs  of  angels  that  are  on  their  way  bringing  us  the  boons 
of  heaven.  Even  as  the  cloud  foreshadoweth  rain,  so  prayer 
foreshadoweth  the  blessing,  even  as  the  green  blade  is  the  be- 
ginning of  the  harvest,  so  is  prayer  the  prophecy  of  the  bless- 
ing that  is  about  to  come.     So  pray,  brethren,  pray. 

3d.  We  need  earnestness  and  simplicity  in  proclaiming  the 
word. — Daniel  Webster  said  he  did  not  go  to  church  to  hear 
studied  oratory  but  to  hear  the  gospel.  Our  fathers  were  men 
of  one  book ;  they  received  power  by  prayerfulness,  and  pro- 
claimed earnestly  and  plainly  what  they  understood.  Like 
Paul  they  said:  "Though  I  preach  the  gospel  I  have  nothing 
to  glory  of,  necessity  is  laid  upon  me,  yea  woe  is  unto  me  if  I 
preach  not  the  gospel."  The  gospel  is  an  intervention  of  Jesus 
Christ  to  save  lost  men  and  must  be  given  to  every  creature. 
It  is  heaven's  appointed  remedy  for  man's  malady,  and  the  di- 
rections for  taking  the  medicine  must  be  so  plain  that  the  fool 
may  take  it  assured  of  the  fact  that  he  will  be  healed.  The 
gospel  is  a  ship  loaded  with  bread  of  life,  and  must  be  brought 
so  near  the  landing  that  the  hungry  can  reach  forth  and  take 
the  bread  of  life.     The  gospel  is  the  announcement  of  recon- 


African  Baptist   Church.  215 

ciliation  between  God  and  the  sinner,  a  message  of  merc\T,  the 
history  of  the  advent  of  Christ,  His  life,  miracles,  death,  burial, 
resurrection,  ascension  and  intercession.  The  gospel  is  the 
Messiah's  conquering,  triumphal  car.  There  is  power  and  mag- 
netism about.  It  is  to  be  preached  in  its  purity  and  its  truth- 
fulness. It  is  the  gospel  of  which  Christ  and  heaven  are 
interested. 

"In  heaven  the  rapturous  song-  began, 

And  sweet  seraphic  fires 
Through  all  the  shining  legions  ran, 

And  strung  and  tuned  the  harp. 
Swift  through  the  vast  expanse  it  flew, 

And  loudlhe  echo  rolled. 
The  theme,  the  song,  the  joy  was  new, 

'Twas  more  than  heaven  could  hold. 
Down  through  the  portals  of  the  sky 

The  impetuous  torrent  ran, 
And  angels  flew  with  eager  joy 

To  bear  the  news  to  man.'" 

Man  has  been  honored  in  being  chosen  of  God  to  cany  this 
holy  message.  Beginning  a  new  century  in  the  history  of  our 
denomination,  let  us  carry  this  message  with  the  same  earnest- 
ness as  did  our  fathers.  Discourage  inactivity,  coldness,  indif- 
ference, formalism,  and  this  kind  of  spasmodic  religion.  .  Con- 
tend earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints.  Con- 
tend for  those  principles  that  have  been  the  very  life  of  the 
Baptists.  This  gospel  must  go,  like  the  sun  shining  in  his 
strength,  scattering  all  clouds  from  the  face  of  the  world  until 
the  moon  and  stars  shall  be  lost  in  its  effulgence.  It  must  fly 
until,  in  the  language  of  Christmas  Evans,  living  waters  flow 
through  the  channels  of  rnercy  in  summer  and  winter,  not 
frozen  by  the  cold  nor  evaporated  by  the  heat.  It  must  go 
until  the  cause  of  Christ  shall  be  preeminent  in  the  estimation 
of  mankind.  It  must  fly  until  the  instrument  of  war  be  turned 
into  scythes  and  ploughshares,  and  nations  learn  war  was  no 
more.  It  must  go  until  the  ferocious  wolf  dwells  with  the  inno- 
cent lamb,  the  furious  leopard  lay  down  with  the  kid,  the  cow 
and  the  bear  feed  in  the  same  pasture,  and  the  little  child  leads 
the  lion  by  the  mane.  Onward,  christian  soldiers,  on.  on  to 
victory.  The  struggles  of  a  hundred  years  have  ended  in  a 
victorious  triumph.  Hannibal  and  Hamilcar  lead  the  armies  of 
the  Carthaginians;  Victor  Emmanuel  led  the  armies  of  the 
Italians ;  Tamerlane  led  the  armies  of  Asia ;  Gustavus  Adol- 
phus,  Xerxes,  Alexander  and  Washington  led  battalion  after 
battalion.  It  is  estimated  that  in  all  the  wars  froin  scriptural 
times  more  than  thirty-five  billions  of  men  have  fallen  in  bat- 
tle. Soldiers  and  commanders  have  received  honors  from  the 
world.     Sky-towering  monuments  have  been  erected  to  their 


216  History  of  the  First 


memory.  But  the  men  who  have  been  engaged  in  a  holy  war, 
leading  a  crusade  of  virtue  against  vice,  an  army  of  righteous- 
ness against  sin,  the  harbinger  of  peace,  the  bearer  of  good 
tidings,  the  watchman  on  Zion's  holy  mount,  they  were  instru- 
ments in  saving  instead  of  destroying  life.  And  yet  their  graves 
are  unmarked,  no  tombstone  marks  the  place  where  many  of 
them  rest.  But  "  God,  my  Bedeemer,  lives,  and  often  from  the 
skies  looks  down  and  watches  all  their  dust  till  He  shall  bid  it 
rise." 

Georgia  owes  it  as  a  sign  of  recognition  and  appreciation  of 
their  services  to  erect  a  monument  in  this  city  to  the  memory 
of  the  Baptist  leaders  who  fell  during  these  one  hundred  years. 
Our  captain  is  now  riding  on  his  white  horse  giving  orders  to 
the  armies  to  move  forward.  He  said  to  Andrew  Bryan  one 
hundred  years  ago,  "Go  forward.-'  He  speaks  to  all  of  you 
brethren  as  you  move  off  in  the  second  century.  Go  forward, 
let  the  universal  moving  of  the  footsteps  of  the  army  of  Zion 
be  heard  in  the  camp  of  the  enemy.  In  the  language  of  Dan- 
iel Webster  at  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  Bunker  Hill 
monument :  "  Let  it  rise.  Let  it  rise.  Let  it  rise  till  it  meets 
the  sun  in  his  coming.  Let  the  early  light  of  the  morning  gild 
it,  and  parting  day  linger  and  play  upon  the  summit."  So  let 
the  gospel  star-spangled  banner  rise.  Let  it  rise.  Let  it  rise 
until  its  magnetic  influence  shall  draw  all  men  to  Christ.  Let 
it  soar  till  the  attention  of  the  African  shall  be  called  from  his 
devil-bush,  the  Arab  from  his  tent  and  the  Jew  from  his  wand- 
ering. Let  it  rise  until  the  shouts  of  our  triumphs  be  borne 
aloft  to  the  ear  of  the  redeemed  as  they  shout  from  their  high 
citadel  of  triumph.  We  want  angelic  messengers  who  come  as 
the  representatives  of  heaven  to  this  centennial  celebration  to 
report  to  the  heavenly  hosts  we  are  moving  forward ;  to  tell 
Andrew  Bryan,  Marshall,  Campbell,  Kernel,  Glen,  McCrady, 
Golphin,  Jacob  Walker,  Kelly,  Lowe,  Peter  Johnson,  Henry 
Johnson,  John  Cox,  Joseph  Walker,  Bucker,  Quarles,  Frank 
Beale,  George  Gibbons,  Henry  Watts,  Arrington,  Allen  Clark, 
John  A.  James,  Arthur  Johnson,  Alfred  Young,  I.  C.  Houston, 
F.  D.  Williams,  J.  M.  Jones,  Henry  Williams  that  we  are  hold- 
ing the  fort,  and  that  the}7  are  still  joined  to  us  by  all  the  glo- 
rious recollections  of  the  past  and  the  still  more  glorious  antici- 
pation of  the  future,  and  ere  long  we  will  take  our  places  by 
their  side,  and  we  shall  review  the  grand  procession  of  the 
Baptists  from  the  chancels  of  glory,  at  the  close  of  another  cen- 
tury, as  our  departed  heroes  reviews  us  to-day.  Let  the  gospel 
banner  rise.     Let  it  rise !     Let  it  rise ! 


African  Baptist   Church.  211 


A    CENTENARIAN    AT    THE    CELEBRATION 117    YEARS    OLD. 

Mrs.  Mary  Jackson,  who  was  baptized  by  Rev.  Andrew  Bryan 
nearly  an  hundred  years  ago,  was  presented  to  the  centennial 
celebration  by  Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  D.  D.,  as  a  living  witness  of 
the  organization  of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church.  When 
she  was  asked  did  she  know  anything  about  when  the  First 
African  Baptist  Church  started,  she  replied,  '"Yes;  I  was  there 
the  very  Sunday  evening  it  first  started."  "Well,  mother,  who 
baptized  you?"  asked  Rev.  Alexander  Harris.  "Daddy  Bryan,"* 
was  the  prompt  reply.  "Where  did  he  baptize  you?"  "In  the 
river.  If  you  will  carry  me  there  I  will  show  you  the  place." 
"Who  baptized  old  Daddy  Bryan?"  "A  young  man  who  was 
his  friend,  but  things  are  so  tangled  up  now  I  can't  get  'em 
straight" — meaning  that  she  could  not  remember  his  name. 
Mr.  George  Liele  is  the  young  man  referred  to.  who  was  then 
about  37  years  old.  This  is  not  at  all  strange,  when  it  is  remem- 
bered that  he  was  not  located  permanently  in  Savannah.  He 
was  at  work  down  the  river,  and  very  soon  left  for  Kingston, 
Jamaica,  in  the  West  Indies.  This  old  lady,  has  a  vivid  recol- 
lection of  the  organization  of  the  church,  being  17  years  old  at 
the  time.  She  is  well  preserved  for  one  of  her  age.  She  can 
remember  and  tell  of  every  pastor  the  church  has  ever  had. 
She  was  born  on  Bull  Island,  in  South  Carolina,  in  1771,  and 
belonged  to  Mr.  John  McQueen.  Some  of  the  old  members 
were  called,  that  it  might  be  learned  if  they  knew  anything 
about  her.  They  testified  that  they  knew  her  over  forty  years 
ago,  and  thought  she  was  dead  forty  years  ago,  as  she  then 
looked  old  enough  to  them  to  have  been  dead  from  old  age. 
Many  things  tended  to  corroborate  the  old  lady's  statement. 
When  she  was  asked  where  did  Father  Bryan  live,  she  replied : 
"Right  on  the  way  as  you  go  to  the  baptizing  ground.''  She 
could  tell  of  many  old  people  who  lived  in  that  day.  She  could 
tell  of  Father  Bryan's  wife  and  his  brother  Sampson. 

There  are  several  persons  still  living  who  remember  the  old 
man.  Among  them  are  Mother  Bryan  and  Mother  Delia  Tel- 
fair. The  latter  was  15  years  old  when  Father  Bryan  died. 
Rev.  Andrew  Neyle  was  eight  years  old  when  the  old  man 
died,  and  remembers  him  quite  distinctly. 

But  to  Mrs.  Mary  Jackson,  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  She 
is  living  about  fourte'en  miles  from  the  city,  a  member  of  the 
First  African  Baptist  Church,  but  she  is  unknown  to  the  major- 
ity of  the  members.  Even  the  old  members  thought  she  was 
dead  over  forty  years  ago.  This,  perhaps,  is  due  to  the  fact 
that  she  lives  in  the  country.     It  is  possible  that  in  a  church  of 


218  History  of  the  First 


5,000  members  that  many  would  not  be  known.  So  far  as 
can  be  known  she  has  lived  a  consistent,  Christian  life  for  100 
years.  Having  never  been  disciplined  by  the  church  she,  how- 
ever, would  never  have  become  distinguished  but  for  her  age. 
Her  life  has  been  of  the  humble,  retired  order.  Having  been  a 
slave,  she  cannot  be  noted  for  great  intellect,  her  greatest  bless- 
ing being  that  God  has  spared  her  life  for  117  years. 

No  wonderful  event  in  her  long  life  leads  us  to  suppose  any 
reason  for  its  preservation.  The  only  reason  that  can  be  given 
is  it  pleased  God  to  do  so.  Her  faith  is  strong  in  the  Saviour. 
He  has  kept  her  for  some  reason  best  known  to  Himself.  It 
was  a  source  of  great  joy  to  the  church  to  have  a  living  witness 
of  its  organization  and  an  eye-witness  to  its  eventful  career  for 
one  hundred  years.  She  spoke  of  Eev.  Father  Marshall  as 
"Young  Marshall,  who  took  old  Dady  Biyan's  place  when  he 
died."  She  knew  nothing  of  dates,  when  certain  events  trans- 
pired, but  had  a  clear  knowledge  of  certain  things  which  prove 
conclusively  that  she  is  a  centenarian.  She  remembers  the 
trouble  of  1832,  and  when  "Young  Marshall,"  as  she  calls  him, 
carried  the  church  from  Yamacraw. 

In  connection  with  this  living  relic.  Mr.  Love  showed  the 
congregation  the  chair  in  which  Eev.  Bryan  used  to  sit  while 
presiding  over  his  church  conferences,  the  dish  out  of  which  he 
used  to  eat,  and  the  table  at  which  he  ate.  and  a  large  oil 
painting  of  the  venerable  hero. 

The  occasion  can  never  be  described.  The  centennial  cele- 
bration of  our  church  can  never  be  forgotten.  The  sermons, 
addresses  and  papers  from  the  different  brethren  tended  to  incal- 
culably indoctrinate  and  strengthen  us  in  the  faith.  It  was  a 
feast  of  good  things;  it  was  a  theological  school  to  our  preachers. 
There  were  five  States  represented — Florida,  Tennessee,  Penn- 
sylvania, Alabama  and  South  Carolina.  There  were  services 
three  times  daily — morning,  afternoon  and  night.  Each  of  these 
services  were  pretty  largely  attended,  the  members  of  the  First 
African  Baptist  Church  forming  the  largest  quota  from  the 
churches  of  the  city.  People  for  ages  to  come  will  point  back 
to  the  great  Baptist  centennial.  Children  will  date  their  birth 
from  the  centennial ;  lovers  will  date  their  acquaintance  from 
the  centennial ;  old  men  will  date  their  marriage  from  the  cen- 
tennial year,  and  other  great  events  will  be  spoken  of  as  having 
occurred  in  the  great  centennial  year. 

So  as  a  snow-ball  the  great  Baptist  Centennial  will  continue 
to  increase  in  interest  and  magnitude  as  the  years  roll  by.  and 
what  to  us  may  seem  but  a  trifling  affair  will  be  wonderful  in 
the   next  centennial  celebration.     Again,  this  centennial  cele- 


African  Baptist  Church.  219 

bration  laid  the  foundation  for  the  next  one.  Those  who  will 
be  living  at  the  next  centennial  will  have  what  we  have  writ- 
ten of  our  church  and  the  fathers,  and  it  will  then  be  dim  with 
age,  and  will  be  all  the  more  precious  because  of  the  age  and 
having  been  transmitted  to  them  from  the  fathers.  Orators 
will  then  move  their  vast  audience  as  they  speak  of  us  as  the 
fathers.  The  youngest  of  us  will  then  be  called  fathers.  If 
any  one  who  could  remember  this  centennial  should  be  there 
he  or  she  would  claim  the  profoundest  consideration  and  re- 
ceive the  attention  of  an  angel  visitor.  Indeed,  we  have  done 
more  than  we  are  apt  to  think  of  at  first.  But  as  the  ages  pass 
by  more  learned  men  will  write  of  it,  and  could  we  be  here  to 
the  next  centennial  celebration  we  would  be  surprised  to  know 
how  this  centennial  celebration  had  increased  in  every  way. 
We  would  feel  then  that  we  had  only  been  looking  through  a 
glass  darkly. 

In  closing  this  part  of  our  work  upon  the  centennial  celebra- 
tion, the  writer  feels  that  he  has  not  been  able  to  remove  the 
curtain  just  enough  for  those  of  us  of  to-day  to  get  a  peep  into 
the  future  to  even  divine  what  the  greatness  of  this  celebration 
will  be  in  coming  ages.  But  having  used  the  light  that  is  given 
us,  we  shall  feel  content.  It  is  not  duty  to  do  what  one  can 
not  do — and  since  we  can  do  no  more,  then  we  have  done,  our 
duty  is  performed.  We  feel  that  it  was  our  duty  to  do  what 
we  could  to  guide  those  who  are  coining  after  us. 


BAPTIST  DOCTRINE. 

BY  REV.  S.  A.  M'NEAL,  OF  AUGUSTA,  GA. 

To  the  President  and  Members  of  the  Centennial  Committee  of  the 
Negro  Baptists  of  Georgia,  and  of  this  Grand  Mother  Church 
of  Negro  Baptists: 
We  are  assembled  here  to  celebrate  the  centennial  anniver- 
sary of  the  negro  TJaptists  of  Georgia.  All  grand  institutions  that 
have  ever  accomplished  great  and  grand  results  have  had  to 
pass  through  many  fiery  ordeals  and  encounter  niany  conflicts 
upon  life's  tempestuous  sea,  which  have  put  to  the  severest  test 
their  strength  and  durability.  If  their  make-up  had  not  *  been 
genuine,  they  would  have  gone  to  wreck.  So  it  has  been  with 
this  old  gospel  ship,  which  has  been  sailing  on  the  ocean  of 
time  for  an  hundred  years,  and  has  weathered  many  storms. 
But  to-day  she  stands  safe  and  sound,  and  a  thousand  times 
more  glorious  than  ever,  though  she  has  been  buffeted.  She  is 
sailing  still  heavenward,  whose  colors  are  floating  freely  and 

15 


220  History  of  the  First 


grandly,  praised  and  admired  the  world  round,  and  her  power 
for  good  is  known  and  felt  even  where  her  colors  are  not  seen. 
Her  moral,  religious  and  financial  condition  to-day  surpasses 
any  church  among  the  negroes  of  this  country,  and  is  ahead  of 
many  churches  of  that  race  whose  advantages  have  been  supe- 
rior to  ours. 

But,  coming  to  the  subject,  let  us  ask  why  is  all  of  this?  How 
came  she  so  safely  through  the  perils  and  dangers  of  the  past? 
I  answer  because  it  was  first  founded  right.  Its  foundation 
was  right,  and  hence  its  success.  We  are  here  to-day  to  speak 
on  this  particular  line,  "Baptist  Doctrine."  What  other  foun- 
dation could  have  given  rise  to  this  success  but  Baptist  doctrine, 
or  Baptist  belief,  or  the  doctrine  as-  believed  and  practiced  by 
the  Baptists?  Every  grand  and  laudable  institution  has  had 
at  some  time  its  grand  days  or  great  epoch,  and  so  the  church 
of  Christ. 

We  are  assembled  as  a  great  people  to  do  Him  honor  who 
has  safely  led  this  grand  church  along  through  the  past  century. 
It  is  the  grand  doctrine  of  the  Baptist  church  that  has  given 
rise  to  this  grand  church  and  great  Baptist  denomination  of 
Georgia,  whose  churches  are  known  by  the  hundreds,  and  whose 
communicants  are  numbered  by  the  thousands.  Her  sons  are 
now  in  the  various  parts  of  the  known  world,  publishing  the 
glad  tidings  of  the  blood-spattered  cross — even  Calvary.  We 
speak  of  the  doctrine  of  the  church  as  its  foundation,  and  greater 
foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  which  is  already  laid. 
We  speak  of  the  doctrine  or  principles  of  the  church  as  the 
foundation,  for  it  is  the  foundation  that  gives  power  and  dura- 
bility to  the  superstructure. 

What  the  bones,  sinews,  nervous  system  and  the  blood  are 
to  the  physical  man,  so  are  the  doctrines  to  the  church.  What 
the  roots  of  the  tree  are  to  the  trunk,  to  the  boughs  and  to  all 
of  its  branches,  so  the  doctrines  are  to  the  church.  And  as  it 
is  impossible  for  the  building  to  stand  the  wreck  and  hardships 
of  time,  etc.,  without  its  foundation,  so  it  is  with  the  church. 
As  the  tree  cannot  bear  fruit  without  its  roots,  so  it  is  with  the 
church.  Had  not  the  church  been  founded  upon  the  founda- 
tion of  God's  word,  which  is  the  true  principle  of  the  divine 
Architect  of  the  church,  its  grand  achievement  would  not  have 
been.  But  all  of  these  grand  results  ha*ve  come  to  the  church 
because  it  was  founded  upon  the  foundation  of  Christ  and  His 
apostles,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief  corner-stone. 

We  wish  to  speak  in  particular  of  the  Baptist  doctrine  as 
being  identical  with  the  word  of  God,  for  there  is  no  creed  nor 
even  shadow  of  a  creed  of  this  church  but  that  of  the  word  of 


African  Baptist   Church.  221 

God.  It  is  the  main  doctrine  of  the  Baptists  to  proclaim  noth- 
ing but  the  Bible,  and  that  pure  and  simple.  Upon  this  every 
one  who  has  risen  against  it  has  had  this  accusation,  that  we 
stick  too  uncompromisingly  to  the  scriptures,  and  will  admit  of 
no  modification  or  even  shadow  of  turning. 

The  doctrine  of  the  Baptists  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Bible. 
Upon  it  all  of  our  fathers  stood,  fought,  conquered  and  died. 
Upon  it  we  are  standing  to-day.  The  stand  which  the  Bap- 
tists have  taken  for  the  leading  doctrines  of  the  Bible  has  been 
as  a  beacon  through  all  ages  in  giving  and  preserving  the  truth 
in  the  world  and  of  keeping  a  pure  faith  and  church.  Though 
they  have  not  always  been  known  to  bear  the  name  of  Bap- 
tists, there  have  always  been  those  who  have  believed  and 
practiced  what  the  Baptists  do. 

It  is  quite  encouraging  to  know  these  two  things  about  God 
and  His  people,  Christ  and  His  word.  The  first  is  God's  word — 
has  always  stood  since  He  first  spoke  it.  The  second  is  since 
the  days  of  Jesus  Christ.  His  people  have  always  been  loyal  to 
the  truth  as  is  believed  and  practiced  by  Baptists.  Hence  He 
has  always  had  a  church  to  worship  Him  on  the  earth  and  a 
people  to  believe  His  word  just  as  He  has  given  it  to  them. 

Sir  Isaac  -Newton  says :  "  The  Baptists  are  the  only  body  of 
christians  that  have  not  symbolized  with  the  Church  of  Rome." 
Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  hear  ye  Him.  Christ  is  the  head  over 
the  church  and  its  law-giver.  The  New  Testament  contains 
his  law  which  is  our  infallable  guide  and  supreme  standard  by 
which  all  church  doctrines  and  rites  are  to  be  tried.  Those  are 
christian  churches  strictly  speaking  that  correspond  with  the 
New  Testament  pattern,  and  Baptists  have  always  appealed  to 
the  New  Testament  as  furnishing  the  only  true  authority  for 
the  faith  and  practice  of  the  churches.  The  great  Erasmus 
says :  "  It  is  not  from  human  reservoirs  pregnant  with  stag- 
nant waters  that  we  should  draw  the  doctrine  of  salvation,  but 
from  the  pure  and  abundant  stream  that  flows  from  the  word 
of  God."  And  since  Christ  is  our  law-giver,  whom  shall  we 
obey  ?  Who  is  supreme,  Christ  or  the  church  ?  Where  did  the 
church  get  the  authority  to  substitute  something  else  in  the 
place  of  that  which  Christ  has  ordained?  There  we  are  to 
learn  our  duty  in  all  things  of  faith,  etc.,  that  which  He  teaches 
is  all-sufficient  for  all  times  and  places.  What  He  com- 
mands we  are  to  do.  From  his  decision  there  is  no  appeal. 
Apostles,  ministers  nor  churches  can  not  alter  or  amend,  but 
must  submit,  and  grace  suggests  that  our  submission  be  heartily 
and  cheerfully.     Since  we  have  the  law-giver  and  the  law  let 


222  History  of  the  First 


us  acquaint  ourselves  with  that  law  of  Christ,  and  say,  in  all 
things,  "Oh  God,  Thy  will  be  done." 

Our  principles  of  obedience  to  Christ  make  us  first  Baptists 
ourselves,  and  immediately  set  us  to  making  Baptists  of  others. 
We  become  Baptists,  and  we  become  propagandists  of  Baptist 
views  by  one  and  the  same  almighty,  creative  acts  through  all 
ages.  The  Baptists  have  adhered  most  strictly  to  the  doctrines 
that  are  taught  in  God's  word.  So  that  obedience  has  been 
ever  the  leading  idea  with  Baptists.  They  hold  that  obedience 
is  better  than  sacrifice.  And  upon  that  fact  they  have  ever 
stood  contending,  and  to-day  they  are  conquering  the  world 
upon  that  ground.  For  the  world  is  asking  every  daj^,  "What 
says  the  Bible?"  and  when  told,  they  are  saying  "It  is  better  to 
obey  God  rather  than  man."  And  behold,  many  are  coming  into 
the  grand  army  of  the  Lord  every  day.  When  you  ask  me  why 
is  this,  I  tell  you  it  is  because  of  that  longing  in  the  converted 
heart  to  obey  God.  So,  to  obey,  the  Baptists  have  always  held 
to  be  a  sacred  duty.  So  very  jealous  are  they  of  the  obedience 
which  they  are  disposed  to  render  to  their  Lord  and  Master, 
should  they  find  in  their  book  one  page,  one  chapter,  one  sen- 
tence, or  even  one  word  that  did  not  in  every  way  comply  with 
the  sacred  word  of  God,  they  would  cast  it  out  and  leave  that 
space  vacant.  If  asked  about  it,  they  would  with  great  delight 
give  their  reason  for  its  abstraction.  Then  they  would  even  go 
beyond  that.  They  would  brand  the  writer  as  ignorant  or  a 
heretic.  What  Baptists  mean,  so  far  as  in  them  lies,  is  to  go 
to  heaven  through  obedience  to  God  and  faith  in  His  word.  Our 
fathers  did  it  in  all  of  their  ignorance.  And  what  else  can  we, 
as  their  children,  do?  Our  fathers  had  masters  who  were  Epis- 
copalians, Methodists,  and  even  Catholics,  but  they  turned  their 
backs  on  their  masters'  religion  and  profession,  even  when  it 
was  more  convenient  for  them  to  follow  their  masters,  and  have 
spiritual  liberty  to  follow  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  They  have 
even  been  rejected  from  meeting  with  the  church,  because  they 
would  not  join  the  church  of  their  masters.  But  what  did  they 
do  in  that  instance?  Why,  they  suffered,  prayed  and  waited 
until  God  opened  the  way  for  them.  But  obey  God  they 
would,  must  and  did  under  all  circumstances  do,  and  so  it  has 
always  been,  and  even  more  so  must  it  continue  to  be,  for 
obedience  has  been  the  pride  of  Baptists  of  all  ages.  The  negro 
Baptists  have  preferred  to  be  in  fellowship  with  God  rather 
than  man. 

It  is  strange  how  Baptists,  even  in  their  ignorance,  have  with- 
stood all  of  the  eloquence  of  learning  and  strength  of  science 
and  of  logic  and  stuck  to  the  plain  Bible  and  its  doctrines. 


African  Baptist   Church. 


While  they  have  had  all  of  the  polished  scholars  and  preachers 
to  contend  with,  they,  in  their  ignorance,  have  stood  alone  with 
the  Bible  in  their  hands  and  whipped  the  world  thus  far.  They 
had  even  the  Church  of  England  and  the  Church  of  Rome  to 
withstand,  and  in  defiance  of  all  the  pomp  and  splendor  of  these 
powers  they  have  stood  the  test  of  time  and  to-day  their  colors 
are  lifted  to  the  breeze,  and  heaven  hears  the  sound,  and  angels 
lend  influence  and  glory  to  this  occasion  as  we  stand  under  this 
hallowed  roof,  made  so  by  the  grace  of  God  and  sanctified  and 
made  most  holy  to  us  by  the  prayers,  tears,  sweat  and  blood  of 
Bryan,  Marshall,  Campbell  and  Gibbons,  and  now  being  hon- 
ored by  his  reverence,  the  worthy  Emanuel  K.  Love,  D.  D. 

You  ask  me,  how  was  it  that  though  slavery  raged  in  all  of 
its  horrors,  destroying  and  debauching  the  moral  character  of 
every  being  that  came  within  its  reach,  why,  you  ask,  did  the}' 
allow  these  negroes  to  have  a  church,  make  rules,  and  discipline 
members,  etc..  and  from  whence  came  all  of  these  glorious 
things  seen  among  negroes  who  came  out  of  that  cursed  and 
damnable  institution,  slavery?  My  answer  is  that,  first  of  all, 
their  foundation  was  laid  deep  in  the  doctrine  of  God's  book. 
Like  Peter,  they  had  learned  obedience  to  their  Lord  and  Mas- 
ter, who  said,  when  faith  had  been  tried  and  found  sincere, 
""Upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church,  and  the  gates  of  hell 
shall  not  prevail  against  it."  Who  said  again,  "Ye  are  my 
friends,  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you." 

Their  legal  privilege  was  granted  them  by  the  Constitution 
of  the  United  States  as  the  result  of  an  application  made  to 
Congress  to  grant  religious  liberty  to  all  men  to  worship  God 
after  the  dictates  of  their  own  conscience,  and  not  be  molested 
or  made  afraid. 

Baptists  believe  that  the  Bible  is  the  only  rule  of  faith,  and 
should  be  practiced  by  all  men.  That  it  is  the  right  of  every 
man  to  interpret  that  book  for  himself,  and  in  doing  so  he 
should  be  allowed  to  worship  his  God  in  his  own  quiet  way. 
The  supreme  legislature  of  the  country,  nor  the  lowest  officer  in 
the  community,  nor  any  one  else,  should  do  the  least  thing  to 
disturb  him  in  doing  this. 

Baptists  believe  in  a  separation  of  church  and  state.  They 
also  believe  in  a  democratic  form  of  government,  or  a  govern- 
ment by  the  people,  for  the  people,  and  with  the  people — that  is, 
a  congregational  government,  or  a  majority  rule,  governed  by 
the  Bible. 

The  Baptists  in  all  things  hold  that  obedience  to  the  law  and 
testimony  is  supreme  in  conscience. 


224  History  of  the  First 


Therefore  we  appear  here  to-day,  having  rested  upon  this 
immovable  foundation,  which  is  stronger  than  the  hills  of  old, 
and  will  abide  when  the  rocks  of  Gibraltar  shall  fail,  which 
have  been  standing  the  raging  billows  for  centuries  in  the  past, 
and  yet  they  are  the  same. 

Had  it  not  been  for  the  all-abiding  principles  of  Baptists  we 
would  have  been  driven  to  climes  unknown.  Every  denomina- 
tion has  its  peculiar  pride  or  religious  forte.  The  Catholics 
have  stood  because  they  had  the  power  over  man  and  coerced 
them  into  their  pale ;  hence  all  that  they  have  done.  The  Church 
of  England  had  the  money;  hence  all  men  gladly  bowed  to  her 
footstool.  It  is  said  of  the  Presbyterians  that  because  of  their 
education  and  high  doctrine  that  none  could  comprehend  but 
the  learned.  Of  the  Methodists  it  is  said  that  they  have  sung 
their  way  around  the  world.  But  Baptists  have  gone  into 
many  parts  of  the  world,  and  all  the  places  where  they  have  not 
gone  they  will  go  upon  the  word  of  God.  Baptists  have  come 
through  fire  and  water  and  sailed  through  blood  by  faith  and 
obedience.  When  tried,  their  faith  would  not  yield.  On  being 
asked  concerning  the  things  of  God,  even  if  they  believed  some- 
thing that  they  did  not  fully  understand,  they  have  taken  great 
pleasure  in  replying :  Great  is  the  mysteiy  of  godliness.  God 
manifested  in  the  flesh  the  secret  things  belonging  to  God,  but 
those  things  which  are  revealed  belong  to  us  and  our  children. 

Baptists  believe  that  repentance  toward  God  and  faith  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  first  duty  of  man.  The  second  is  like 
unto  that.  Baptism  is  the  second  duty  of  every  man.  He  who 
believes  in  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God  believes 
and  knows  that  immersion  in  water,  when  performed  upon  a 
proper  subject  and  by  a  proper  administrator,  is  the  only  thing 
that  constitutes  christian  baptism.  These  few  but  sublime  doc- 
trines constitute  the  great  foundation  of  the  Baptist  church. 
Upon  these  principles  all  of  the  apostles,  martyrs  and  ancient 
worthies  lived,  fought,  died  and  went  to  heaven.  There  their 
happy  souls  wait  and  rest  until  their  fellow-servants,  slain  as 
they  were,  shall  come. 

Our  church  has  come  through  trials  and  persecution  in  all 
ages,  from  the  daj-s  of  Christ  till  now.  For  there  never  was  a 
time  since  our  blessed  Lord  said  to  Peter,  "Epon  this  rock  I 
will  build  my  church,  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail 
against  it,*"  but  that  there  were  men  and  women  practicing  and 
believing  just  what  Baptists  are  practicing  and  believing  to-day. 
Though  it  cost  them  their  lives,  yet  they  have  in  all  ages  con- 
tended for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints. 


African  Baptist  Church. 


Our  fathers  believed  in  the  Baptist  form  of  government  and 
they  stuck  to  it,  though  their  masters  were  members  of  another 
church.  When  they  would  feel  a  change  of  heart  and  wish  to 
unite  with  the  church  they  would  have  to  get  a  pass  from  their 
masters.  When  asked  to  what  church  they  wished  to  connect 
themselves,  and  the  Baptist  church  was  named  as  the  church 
of  their  choice,  they  were  then  asked,  "Why  can't  you  join  Mr. 
A.'s  or  Mr.  B.'s  church/'  When  better  reasons  and  privileges 
were  given  to  join  the  church  named  by  their  masters,  they  could 
only  say,  "I  want  Mr.  D.  or  E.  to  baptize  me."  After  being 
denied  for  no  good  reason  at  all,  and  made  to  suffer  the  awful 
consequences  of  laying  off  from  the  church  for  months,  and 
sometimes  for  years,  they  nevertheless,  like  the  impassionate 
widow,  continued  to  seek  until,  for  some  reason,  they  were 
granted  the  privilege  of  joining  the  church  of  their  choice  by 
undergoing  some  hard  treatment.  They  chose  to  take  punish- 
ment rather  than  join  any  other  than  the  church  of  their  faith, 
the  Baptist  church.  The  suffering  of  God's  children  has  often 
brought  others  to  be  His  disciples,  for  God  has  often  seen  fit  to 
cast  us  in  the  furnace  of  affliction. 

Baptists  believe  in  giving  to  God  that  obedience  that  takes  in 
all  his  word.  Faith  and  obedience  are  inseparably  connected. 
The  Baptists  also  believe  that  he  who  truly  believes  God's  word 
will  obey  Him.  And  he  that  believes  is  made  a  new  man  in 
Christ  Jesus,  born  again,  or  made  after  the  new  man  created 
in  righteousness.  So  he  that  is  created  in  righteousness  will 
yield  implicit  obedience  to  God.  Our  blessed  Lord  and  Master 
said:  "To  whom  ye  yield  yourselves  to  obey,  to  him  ye  are 
servants."  Jesus  said:  "If  ye  do  whatsoever  I  have  com- 
manded, ye  are  my  friends."  So  friendship  with  God  de- 
pends upon  our  obedience  to  Him.  When  Abraham  obeyed,  it 
was  accounted  to  him  for  righteousness.  Hence  he  was  called 
the  friend  of  God.  "If  ye  believe  in  me,  ye  shall  know  of  the 
doctrine."  Christ  says,  belief  and  obedience  make,  first,  chil- 
dren of  God;  secondly,  and  as  children  of  God  we  are  Baptists, 
or  those  who  side  with  Baptist  doctrine. 

I  have  been  puzzled  to  know  how  any  man  can  claim  to  be 
a  child  of  God,  and  live  in  actual  disregard  of  God's  law,  and 
worse  still,  set  up  a  system  of  doctrines  or  opinions  contrary  to 
those  set  up  by  the  God  of  the  church,  or  to  adopt  those  set  up 
by  men.  I  ask,  can  such  men  plead  ignorance?  Can  a  man 
who  takes  the  opposite  side  of  a  question,  ever  get  to  the  place 
where  he  can  plead  his  ignorance  ?  Can  any  man  who  is  wise 
enough  to  build  up  doctrines  contrary  to  those  established  of 
God,  ever  plead  his  ignorance  and  thereby  be  pardoned?     I 


226  History  oj  the  First 


trow  not.  The  name,  "Baptist,"  originated  not  with  theni, 
but  with  their  opponents.  The  main  difference  between  Bap- 
tists and  other  denominations  centers  in  the  ordinance  of  bap- 
tism. Not  that  Baptists  are  erroneous  in  their  views,  but  that 
others  are  not  willing  to  follow  the  divine  rule  on  this  funda- 
mental doctrine.  In  this  they  are  willing  to  substitute  this 
ordinance  for  the  tradition  of  men.  Yet  they  profess  to  be  the 
children  of  God.  They  delight  to  live  in  open  rebellion  to  the 
government  of  God.  Let  us  obey  God,  that  good  may  come  to 
us.     Then  we  can  say,  as  another : 

"Now  liberty  is  all  the  plan, 

The  chief  pursuit  of  every  man  whose  heart  is  right. 

One  word  into  your  ears  I'll  drop, 

No  longer  spend  your  needless  pains 

To  mend  and  polish  o'er  your  chains, 

But  break  them  off  before  you  rise, 

Nor  disappoint  your  watchlul  eyes. 

What  says  great  Washington  and  Lee? 

Our  country  is  and  must  be  free. 

What  says  great  Henry  Pendleton 

And  Liberty's  minutest  son? 

'Tis  all  one  voice— they  all  agree, 

God  made  us  and  we  must  be  free. 

Freedom  we  crave,  neither  envy's  breath, 

An  equal  freedom  or  a  death, 

If  needs  there  be— yea,  tax  the  knight, 

But  let  our  brave,  heroic  minds 

Move  freely  as  celestial  winds; 

Make  vice  and  folly  feel  your  rod. 

But  leave  our  conscience  free  to  God. 

Leave  each  man  free  to  choose 

His  form  of  piety,  nor  at  him  storm  ; 

And  he  who  minds  the  civil  law, 

And  keeps  it  whole  without  a  flaw, 

Let  him  just  as  he  pleases  pray, 

And  seek  for  heaven  in  his  own  way. 

And  if  he  miss,  we  all  must  own, 

No  man  is  wrong  but  him  alone." 


HISTORY  OF  THE  COLORED  BABT1STS  OF  GEORGIA. 

BY  REV.  G.  H.  DWELLE,  AUGUSTA,  GA. 

Dear  Chairman  and  Brethren  of  the  Centennial: 

I  have  been  appointed  by  your  committee  to  deliver  an  ad- 
dress before  this  christian  body,  which  has  assembled  here  to 
celebrate  the  one  hundredth  year  of  our  existence  in  this  State. 
Who  is  able,  who  is  adequate,  who  can  know  the  history  of 
the  colored  Baptists  of  Georgia?  Where  are  their  records  kept? 
Who  has  been  their  recorder,  writing  the  true  history  of  the 
pioneer  fathers  who  have  passed  on  before  ?  No  one.  and  a  full 
and  true  history  can  never  be  known  on  earth !  Some  parts 
may  be  gathered,  but  the  full  and  complete  history  has  passed 


African  Baptist   Church.  227 

away  with  those  faithful  heralds  for  Jesus  iuto  the  spirit  world. 
Here  and  there  we  have  caught  a  faint  glimmering  of  the 
greatness  of  those  faithful  pioneers  of  our  denomination  in 
Georgia,  and  of  their  labors. 

We  will  say  a  word  touching  our  history,  which  begins  with 
Rev.  Andrew  Bryan,  who  organized  the  First  African  Baptist 
Church  in  this  city  one  hundred  years  ago,  and  was  its  first 
pastor.  In  the  early  morn,  before  it  was  yet  light,  he  came  to 
this  field  with  seeds  from  the  granary  of  heaven,  given  him 
from  the  Master's  own  hands,  to  sow.  "  They  were  sown  in 
weakness;  they  were  raised  in  power."  They  took  root  down- 
ward and  sprung  upward  and  brought  forth  fruit,  some  thirty, 
some  sixty,  and  some  an  hundred  fold,  to  the  honor  and  glory 
of  God. 

Soon  after  the  Lord  sent  another  into  the  field,  Rev.  Andrew 
Marshall,  a  strong  man  for  God  and  his  cause,  who  worked 
faithfully  in  this  part  of  Georgia. 

The  work  began  spreading  toward  the  interior,  borne  along 
by  Revs.  Robert  McGee,  Ca?sar  McGrady,  Jesse  Peter,  (some- 
times called  Golplin),  Kennard,  Ghan,  Jacob  Walker,  Henry 
Johnson,  Joseph  Walker,  Henry  Watts,  Ephriam  Rucker, 
Frank  Quarles,  Frank  F.  Beal,  William  J.  Campbell,  Telling- 
hast,  Pope,  Romulus  Moore,  John  A.  James,  Henry  Williams, 
Allen  Clark,  David  Hill,  Prince  Williams,  Thomas  Hardwick, 
Joe  McGrady,  George  Gibbons,  Abraham  Burk,  Louis  Barber, 
Jerry  M.  Jones,  P.  B.  Borders,  Jerry  Freeman,  George  Jones, 
George  Bull,  and  hundreds  of  others  that  I  cannot  now  remem- 
ber. They  all  labored  faithfully  in  their  Master's  cause,  and 
to-day  are  rejoicing  in  heaven  with  their  Master,  whom  they 
served  on  earth  even  till  called  away  by  their  Lord.  Who  can 
tell  the  sufferings,  privations  and  hardships  which  these  men 
of  God  endured  during  the  early  days  of  our  church. 

In  those  dark  days  when  the  servants  of  God  had  been  labor- 
ing hard  and  speaking  for  Jesus,  they  would  sometimes  receive, 
some  fifty  and  others  an  hundred  lashes  or  more  for  speaking 
for  God.  To  say  all  were  whipped  for  preaching  would  be  un- 
true ;  but  to  say  that  none  were  whipped  for  preaching  would  be 
a  lie.  It  is  said  that  some  white  Baptists  have  been  whipped  for 
preaching;  then  think  you  the  negro  could  escape?  Nay,  he 
had  his  share  doubled ;  but  our  God  saved  them  all.  Those 
were  hard  times  in  Georgia ;  but  the  seed  were  good,  right  from 
the  Master's  hands,  handed  down  to  his  faithful  servants  to  be 
sown  on  the  seacoast,  swamps,  mountains  and  valleys  broad- 
cast— scattered  all  over  the  land.  It  must  have  been  good  seed 
to  yield  166,429  living  souls,  to  say  nothing  of  those  already 


228  History  of  the  First 


gathered  from  the  field,  and  that  through  the  storms  of  adver- 
sity, the  floods  of  affliction  and  the  draughts  of  persecution. 
Surely  God  was  with  the  sower  and  in  the  seed.  Yes,  the 
faithful  men  toiled  on  at  great  disadvantage,  illiterate,  fettered, 
deprived  at  times  of  food  and  clothing.  Still,  through  the  dark- 
ness and  gloom  they  toiled  on,  singing : 

"Through  floods  and  flames,  if  Jesus  leads, 
I'll  follow  where  he  goes; 
Hinder  me  not,  shall  be  my  cry, 
Though  earth  and  hell  oppose." 

They  went  on,  but  not  alone ;  one  was  with  them  who  said : 
"I  will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee:  lo,  I  am  with  thee 
to  the  end  of  the  world.  Amen."  And  to-day  in  every  valley 
and  plain,  on  every  hill  and  mountain  you  may  traverse  in 
Georgia,  lo,  the  Baptists  are  there.  Thus  the  kind  hand  of  God 
has  led  us  along  and  here  are  we  to-day,  with  gratitude  giving 
praise  to  our  God,  "from  whom  all  blessings  flow,"  and  we 
would  shout  and  say, 

"Praise  Him,  all  creatures  here  below; 
Praise  Him  above,  ye  heavenly  host; 
Praise  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost." 

"We  now  stand  at  the  cradle  of  the  Baptists  of  Georgia.  "We 
have  come  from  all  parts  of  the  land  to  lift  high  and  throw  to 
the  breeze  the  Baptist  banner  that  was  borne  aloft  so  faithfully 
in  the  darker  days  by  those  veterans,  and  has  never  been 
allowed  to  trail  in  the  dust  for  one  hundred  years  in  this  grand 
old  Empire  State  of  the  South.  That  banner  will  ever  stand, 
all  stained  with  hallowed  blood,  marked,  "Salvation's  free  to 
all  the  world  through  the  blessed  Son  of  God."  We  would  not 
forget  our  brothers  of  the  white  race,  who  kindly  assisted  us  and 
cheered  us  on  to  greater  efforts  of  success,  helping  us  to  organ- 
ize and  set  up  churches,  and  in  prosecuting  the  work.  They 
rendered  much  valuable  help  in  the  establishing  and  building 
of  the  1500  churches,  with  500  ordained  ministers  and  2,000 
licensed  preachers,  presiding  over  the  166,429  members,  all 
springing  up  from  the  little  seed  planted  one  hundred  years  ago. 

As  to  culture  and  refinement,  these  can  be  found  in  large 
numbers  in  our  ranks.  For  thrift  and  wealth,  there  are  many 
with  us.  We  have  towering  churches  and  fine  seminaries,  and 
school  buildings  as  good  as  are  found  in  the  land.  As  to  intel- 
lect, morals  and  spirituality,  we  have  some  second  to  none  in 
this  country,  especially  our  young  men  and  women  coming  out 
of  our  schools  and  seminaries.  Of  them  we  are  truly  proud, 
and  will  ever  thank  God  for  them.  Our  press  is  making  rapid 
progress,  and  now  ranks  with  the  best  in  all  the  South.     Able 


African  Baptist   Church.  229 

men  are  the  editors,  and  they  are  a  power  for  good  to  the  de- 
nomination and  our  people.  Yes,  dear  brethren,  for  nearly 
seventy-six  years  the  colored  Baptists  of  this  State  toiled  and 
labored  under  many  disadvantages ;  but  when  it  pleased  the 
"Supreme  Ruler"  of  heaven  and  earth  to  blot  out  human 
slavery,  the  curse  of  this  American  land,  the  negro  Baptists  of 
Georgia  came  at  once  together  as  one  man  to  prepare  for  the 
new  order  of  things  pertaining  to  our  denomination.  They  had 
the  interest  of  the  race  and  the  cause  of  Christ  at  heart.  The 
education  and  moral  training  of  the  young  men  and  old  ones 
— the  spiritual  good  of  all  was  before  them.  These  were  thor- 
oughly and  minutely  considered  and  discreetly  prepared  for  by 
our  leading  brethren.  A  number  of  them  met  at  Hilton  Head, 
S.  C,  and  organized  the  Zion  Baptist  Association,  and  then  there 
was  a  move  all  along  the  line.  The  brethren  met  at  Augusta, 
at  the  Springfield  Baptist  Church,  to  consult  about  forming 
the  Ebenezer  Baptist  Association,  which  was  formed  after  this 
meeting.  Then  followed  the  Shiloh  Association,  Mount  Olive, 
and  in  all,  to-day  we  have  some  fifty  or  sixty  more  associations, 
all  prospering  and  doing  much  good.  They  are  dotting  every 
nook  and  corner  of  our  State,  and  our  work  is  advancing. 

In  1870  there  was  a  call  made  by  the  brethren  of  Atlanta  and 
Augusta  for  brethren  of  the  State  to  meet  at  Augusta,  with  the 
Central  Baptist  Church,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a  State 
Baptist  convention.  Accordingly,  a  large  number  of  brethren 
met,  and  on  May  17,  1870,  organized  the  Missionary  Baptist 
Convention  of  Georgia.  Its  object  was  to  establish  a  normal 
and  theological  school,  and  to  support  missionaries  in  the  State1. 
At  the  meeting  we  enrolled  eighty-four  delegates,  and  their 
names  are  recorded  as  the  founders  of  our  State  convention. 
Before  this,  however,  our  associations  were  sending  out  mis- 
sionaries in  the  field.  Especially  do  I  remember  Rev.  J.  C. 
Bryan,  Henry  Morgan  and  A.  De  Lamotta,  who  were  sent  by 
the  Ebenezer  Association  to  the  upper  part  of  the  State,  while 
I  believe  brethren  in  this  part  of  the  State  were  equally  as 
active. 

In  1874  the  convention  sent  out  Rev.  W.  H.  Tilman.  Soon 
we  could  hear  of  missionaries  all  over  our  State.  As  time  rolled 
on,  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Board,  the  Georgia 
Baptist  Convention  (white),  the  American  Baptist  Publication 
Society,  all  took  hold  to  help  us,  and  there  was  much  good  done 
by  these  faithful  missionaries  in  our  State. 

Early  we  began  to  invite  help  in  our  educational  work,  and 
the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  heard  our  peti- 
tion, learning  through  Rev.  W.  J.  White  our  needs,  and  came 


230  History  of  the  First 


to  our  relief.  They  gave  us  the  Augusta  Institute,  which  was 
moved  to  the  city  of  Atlanta  about  1879,  and  is  now  the  Atlanta 
Baptist  Seminary  for  young  men. 

This  did  well  for  our  young  men,  but  where,  oh  where,  were 
our  young  women  ?  To  what  place  were  they  to  be  gathered 
for  training  ?  The  brethren  decided  there  must  be  provision 
made  for  them,  and  in  answer  to  prayer  to  God  from  those 
christian  hearts  help  came.  While  Kev.  Quarles  was  on  his 
knees  praying,  God,  through  the  Home  Mission  Society,  sent 
Misses  S.  B.  Packard  and  H.  E.  Giles  to  our  aid.  They  opened 
school  in  the  basement  of  Friendship  Baptist  Church,  in  the 
city  of  Atlanta,  and  began  work  April  11,  1881.  They  began 
gathering  our  old  and  young  women  for  training,  and  little  by 
little  they  grew  till  what  was  a  school  of  fifty,  or  a  little  more, 
can  now  call  a  roll  of  600.  Thus  beginning  lowly,  God  has 
raised  our  Spellman  Seminary  and  made  it  a  school  second  to 
none  in  all  the  South.  Our  different  associations  are  building 
high  schools  in  their  bounds  which  can  and  will  become  good 
feeders  to  our  two  seminaries,  meeting  the  needs  of  our  people, 
and  thus  God  is  with  us  in  our  work. 

Passing  through  the  last  twenty- four  years  we  come  to  our 
centennial.  ]N"ot  that  we  entered  this  work  one  hundred  years 
ago  as  our  fathers  (then  the  slaves  of  the  State),  but  as  free, 
twice  made  free,  free  from  sin  and  death  and  American  slavery. 
If  the  Son  makes  you  free,  ye  shall  be  free  indeed.  What  negro 
Baptist  here  to-day  is  not  proud  of  the  little  record  that  can  be 
gathered  of  our  fathers,  who,  with  heavenly  weapons,  fought  so 
bravely  the  battle  of  our  Lord,  finished  their  course,  kept  the 
faith  and  now  have  the  sure  reward.  I  know,  dear  brethren, 
you  do  rejoice  in  your  hearts.  If  this  little  history  which  we 
have  be  so  grand,  what  must  their  true  history  have  been. 
Where  is  there  a  people  afflicted  under  like  circumstances  who 
can  produce  a  record  more  rich  with  fruit  for  Jesus  ?  Ah  !  the 
full  and  complete  history  is  kept  by  the  Judge  who  will  do 
right,  and  to-day  we  should  move  with  new  impulse  to  achieve 
greater  victories,  and  move  on  the  Baptist  chariot,  conquering 
and  to  concmer,  until  we  shall  plant  the  Baptist  church  upon 
every  mountain,  hill-top  and  valley,  from  shore  to  shore,  from, 
pole  to  pole,  until  we  can  truly  say  Satan's  power  and  his  king- 
dom on  earth  are  demolished,  and  all  the  world  shall  belong  to 
Jesus.  And  when  our  next  centennial  comes,  and  the  colored 
Baptists  of  Georgia  are  assembled,  we  that  are  here  to-daj7  to 
speak  of  those  who  sleep  the  long  sleep  of  death,  with  no  tow- 
ering monuments,  no  shaft  lifting  its  head  to  the  skies,  to  mark 
the  place  or  to  speak  of  their  deeds.     Some  of  their  graves  are 


African  Bcqrist   Church.  .23 '1 

not  known.  But  God,  their  Redeemer,  lives  and  ever  from  the 
skies  looks  down  and  watches  all  their  dust  till  He  shall  bid  it 
rise.  We  who  attend  the  meeting  to-day,  if  our  eyes  were  not 
holden,  I  imagine  might  see  bending  over  the  battlements  of 
glory  our  beloved  fathers,  who,  we  imagine,  are  saying  with 
their  heavenly  voices,  be  faithful  unto  death  and  come,  we  await 
your  coming.  We  who  meet  here  to-day  in  friendship  and 
brotherly  kindness  shall  be  able  to  read  without  error  our  true 
history  at  home  in  our  Father's  house  above,  where  there  shall 
be  no  more  parting,  where  the  wicked  cease  from  troubling  and 
the  weary  are  at  rest.  They  sowed  the  seed  on  earth,  and  the 
harvest  has  been  great.     Surely 

"God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way, 
His  wonders  to  perform ; 
He  plants  his  footsteps  in  the  sea 
And  rides  upon  the  storm. 

Ye  fearful  saints,  fresh  courage  take, 

The  clouds  ye  so  much  dread 
Are  big  with  mercies  and  will  break 

In  blessings  on  your  head." 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  HISTORY. 

An  Address  Delivered  by  Rev.  W.  H.  Tihnan,  Sr.,  of  Atlanta,  Ga., 
Before  the  Negro  Baptist  Centennial. 

Dear  Brethren: 

My  object  in  this  discourse  shall  be  to  locate  the  church  of 
Christ.  Whatever  church  we  shall  find  founded  by  the  great 
head  of  the  church  is  the  church  of  Christ.  These  questions 
are  often  asked  by  persons  not  acquainted  with  Baptist  history : 
Where  did  the  Baptists  originate?  How  old  are  they?  These 
might  be  considered  as  secondary  questions,  and  of  no  import- 
ance at  all  to  a  Baptist.  Their  history  is  not  more  peculiar 
than  the  practice  of  that  which  they  believe.  Their  faith  is  im- 
portant, "For  whatsoever  is  born  of  God  overcometh  the  world: 
and  this  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  the  world.  Even  our 
faith.'' — I.  John,  v,  4. 

God  is  the  author  and  head  of  the  church.  He  is  the  head 
of  every  family  in  heaven  or  on  earth.  What  skeptic  will  deny 
God  named  the  Baptist?  Neither  Zachariah  nor  Elizabeth 
named  John ;  but  God  sent  his  name  as  John  from  heaven  by 
an  angel,  and  the  Spirit  has  been  pleased   to  leave  on  record 


History  of  the  First 


John  the  Baptist.  What  skeptic  will  den y  that  Christ,  the  great 
head  of  the  church,  was  baptized  by  John?  Who  will  deny 
that  this  was  John's  special  and  only  mission?  Before  Christ 
was  baptized,  John  baptized  multitudes,  and  many  afterwards. 
John  diminished,  but  Christ  increased.  His  preaching  was  to 
awake  the  world  from  its  sleep.  Christ's  baptism  was  to  set 
the  example  of  practice  and  give  the  world  the  needed  light  of 
his  church  and  to  quicken  the  elected  stones  for  the  Master's 
use. 

2d.  As  to  the  Baptist  Church  History.  It  may  be  said,  as 
God  said  to  Abraham.  "Can  you  count  the  stars  of  heaven  or 
number  the  sands  on  the  sea  shore?"  This  is  admitted  to  be 
an  impossibility.  So  with  the  history  of  the  Baptist  church, 
the  church  of  Cod,  I  ask  you  can  you  read  the  dust  of  the 
earth,  the  smoke  of  the  past  century?  Or  can  you  analyze  the 
sands  of  the  ocean's  depths,  or  call  from  the  graves,  the  moun- 
tains and  deserts  and  caves,  the  millions  of  charred  and 
bleached  bones  that  have  gathered  from  the  days  of  the  elect 
Able  down  to  the  last  martj^r's  ? 

Do  you  say  this  account  reaches  back  too  far?  Not  as  far 
as  we  are  authorized  to  go.  Hear  the  word  of  Jesus:  Matt., 
xxv,  34 :  "Then  shall  the  King  say  unto  them  on  his  right  hand, 
Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared 
for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world."  Here  is  the  demon- 
stration of  the  truth  that  Cod's  first  designs  are  lastly  carried 
into  execution.  He  made  a  world,  then  made  man  to  occupy 
it.  He  prepared  a  kingdom,  a  church  for  his  own  glory,  then 
elected  man  to  occupy  it  until  he  comes  again.  John,  xvii.,  5: 
"And  now,  oh,  Father,  glorify  Thou  me  with  Thine  Own  Self 
with  the  glory  which  I  had  with  Thee  before  the  world  was." 

At  what  time  and  on  what  occasion  was  this  prayer  made? 

After  he  had  brought  that  needed  light  and  the  world  had 
seen  and  owned  it  to  be  a  light  from  God.  Yea,  devils  had 
tested  it  and  trembled,  because  it  was  that  light  which  shone  in 
darkness  and  the  darkness  comprehended  it  not.  Note  the 
occasion  when  the  broken  link  was  mended  and  the  capital  of 
the  broken  column,  which  had  so  long  lain  moulding  beneath 
the  debris  and  rubbish  of  ages,  was  found,  raised  and  stood 
upon  its  foundation,  the  rock  of  faith,  and  pointed  heavenward. 
A  watcher  was  placed  on  the  pediment  and  ordered  to  turn  his 
face  to  the  four  parts  of  the  heaven  and  the  earth  and  cry,  say- 
ing, "God  was  in  Christ  from  all  eternity  reconciling  the  world 
unto  Himself."  In  looking  down  the  unknown  ages  the  crier 
spied  the  church  of  Christ  in  its  primitive  glory.  Filled  with 
amazement  and  holy  awe,  he  said,  "Who  is  she  that  looketh 


African  Baptist   Church. 


forth  as  the  morning,  fair  as  the  moon,  clear  as  the  sun,  and 
terrible  as  an  army  with  banners  ?" — Song  of  Sol.,  6-10. 

3d.  Christ  says  to  His  church,  "Ye  are  in  the  world,  but  ye 
are  not  of  the  world,  for  there  are  three  that  bear  record  in 
heaven,  the  Father,  the  Word  and  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  these 
three  are  one.  And  there  are  three  that  bear  witness  in  earth, 
the  Spirit,  the  water  and  the  blood ;  and  these  three  are  one.'" — 
I.  John,  v.,  7-8.  Was  not  Christ  our  witness  in  the  world? 
Though  the  world  was  made  by  Him,  did  the  world  know 
Him?  No,  no.  Has  the  world  any  better  knowledge  of  ftini 
to-day  than  it  had  then  ?  ISTo.  The  world  has  a  better  concep- 
tion of  His  will  and  purposes  as  it  grows  wiser,  but  not  of  Him. 
The  world's  wisdom  is  foolishness.  Christ's  church  and  Him- 
self are  one.  If  the  world  does  not  know  Him,  it  cannot  know 
His  church,  for  what  He  saith  of  Himself  is  synonymous  of  His 
church. 

4th.  The  Baptist  church  history,  we  claim,  is  written  in  blood. 
During  all  the  world's  dark  ages  they  were  preserved  among 
all  the  nations  and  called  by  all  manner  of  names — heretics  in 
the  first  two  centuries.  They  mingled  with  the  Messalians, 
Euchites,  Montanists;  in  the  third,  fourth  and  fifth  centuries  with 
the  Novatians,  and  Donatists ;  in  the  seventh  with  the  Pauli- 
cians ;  in  the  tenth,  the  Paterines;  in  the  eleventh  century, 
the  Waldenses,  Albigensis,  Henicians  and  Christians.  They 
have  ever  been  in  principle  and  spirit  really  the  same  people. 
These  sects  grew  and  flourished,  though  they  suffered  great 
'  persecutions. 

The  story  of  the  slaughtering  is  enough  to  curdle  the  blood  in 
the  veins  of  a  demon,  yet  they  faltered  not.  They  contended 
for  the  faith,  and  that  faith  was  that  the  church  founded  b}-  the 
great  Baptist  leader  had  not  for  its  foundation,  "gold,  silver, 
precious  stones,  wood,  hay,  stubble  (I.  Cor.,  iii.  12),  but  that 
Christ  might  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith ;  to  make  all  men 
see  what  is  the  fellowship  of  the  mysteiy  which,  from  the  be- 
ginning of  the  world  hath  been  hid  in  God,  Who  created  all 
things  by  Jesus  Christ.  To  this  intent  that  now  unto  princi- 
palities and  powers  in  heavenly  places  might  be  known  by  the 
church  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God.  The  church,  then,  is  that 
source  of  light  to  the  world,  and  the  hope  and  joy  of  its  mem- 
bers. The  world  is  dependent  upon  the  church  for  this  light, 
each  member  of  this  mystic  body  being  a  small  principality  in 
himself.  Each  is  accountable  for  his  portion  to  be  done.  Do 
we  know  what  we  should  do,  and  when  we  have  done  enough  ? 
The  good  book  tells  us,  "What  your  hands  find  to  do,  do  it  with 
all  thy  might."     Much  is  yet  to  be  done.     One  hundred  years 


23Jf  History  of  the  First 


have  passed  since  this  Southland,  this  State  of  Georgia,  learned 
to  their  astonishment  that  the  negro  had  knowledge  of  his  elec- 
tion, by  G-od's  grace,  unto  salvation  through  Christ,  and  courage 
to  tell  it. 

Andrew  Bryan  lifted  the  light,  unfolded  the  Baptist  banner, 
with  a  handful  of  ignorant  slaves  to  hear  his  words.  No  doubt, 
many  times  he  knew  not  what  he  should  say  to  the  few.  But 
100  years  have  told  a  wonderful  story.  The  ignorant  hearers 
have  passed  away;  their  places  are  filled  with  bright,  intelli- 
gent listeners.  And  while  Father  Bryan,  the  pioneer,  patriot 
and  hero  of  a  hundred  years  ago,  compelled  bj*-  death  to  vacate 
his  pulpit,  what  has  been  the  result?  Of  what  have  we  to 
boast  to-day?  A  grand  army,  a  full  corps  of  students,  well 
equipped,  holding  in  their  hands  the  gavel  of  the  church  and 
the  sword  of  knowledge,  they  are  clothed  in  beautiful  regalia, 
166,429  strong. 

From  the  mountain  to  the  seaboard  the  line  is  unbroken.  No 
discord  in  our  song,  no  uncertain  sound  in  the  written  edict, 
one  Lord,  one  faith  and  one  baptism.  Again,  old  and  young 
have  learned  to  chant  the  song  that  Father  Bryan  sang  in 
his  day: 

"Shall  Wisdom  cry  aloud, 

And  not  a  speech  be  heard  ? 

The  voice  of  God's  eternal  word, 
Deserves  it  no  regard  ?  , 

"I  was  His  chief  delight, 

His  everlasting  son, 
Before  the  first  of  all  His  work, 

Creation,  was  begun. 

"Before  the  flying  clouds, 

Belore  the  solid  land, 
Before  the  fields,  before  the  floods, 

I  dwelt  at  his  right  hand. 

"When  he  adorned  the  skies, 

And  built  them  I  was  there, 
To  order  when  the  sun  should  rise, 

And  marshal  every  star. 

"When  he  poured  out  the  sea, 

And  .-.pread  the  flowing  deep, 
I  gave  the  flood  a  firm  decree, 

In  its  own  bound  to  keep. 

"Upon  the  empty  air 

The  earth  was  balanced  well ; 
With  joy  I  saw  the  mansion  where 

The  sons  of  men  should  dwell. 

"My  busy  thought  at  first 

On  their  salvation  ran, 
Ere  sin  was  born  or  Adam's  dust 

Was  fashioned  to  man. 

"Then  come,  receive  my  grace, 

Ye  children,  and  be  wise ; 
Happy  the  man  that  keeps  my  ways, 

The  man  that  shuns  them  dies.*' 


African  Baptist   Church.  235 

The  first  thought  of  Christ  from  creation  was  to  save,  then  to 
prepare  a  plan  of  salvation,  then  to  prepare  a  kingdom,  both 
in  heaven  and  on  earth,  to  keep  securely  the  saved.  Then 
created  he  the  subject,  man,  from  whom  he  would  make  his 
selection.     Lastly,  he  elected  them  for  his  own  glory. 

Who  are  they  that  are  elected  to  grace  ? 

Hear  the  answer :  All  things  work  together  for  good  to  them 
that  love  God.  to  them  who  are  called. 

How  called? 

According  to  God's  purpose.  For  whom  He  did  foreknow 
He  also  predestined  and  foreordained.  Christ  did  foreknow 
His  people ;  not  simply  knowing  them,  but  His  foreknowledge 
of  them  as  His  people  included  the  gracious  purpose  of  bringing 
them  into  a  state  of  salvation,  not  for  His  church,  but  through 
His  church.  All  who  are  saved  shall  be  saved  through  His 
well-ordered  plan,  His  church.  Moreover,  whom  He  did 
predestine,  them  He  also  called ;  and  whom  He  called  he  also 
justified;  and  whom  He  justified  He  also  glorified.  And  to 
such,  tribulations,  nor  distress,  nor  persecutions,  nor  famine, 
nor  nakedness,  peril  nor  sword — not  if  all  the  human  powers 
of  earth  and  demons  of  the  infernal  regions,  nor  death  itself — 
if  every  angel  of  the  paradisaical  world  should  come  down 
and  stand  in  the  pathway  of  Christ's  church,  the  Baptist  church, 
they  would  fail  to  separate  us  from  Him.  He  has  called  us,  and 
to  Him  we  must  go. 

8th.  Our  peculiarities — The  Baptist  church  practices. 

It  may  be  said  those  sects  heretofore  mentioned  did  not  claim 
the  name  Baptist.  We  will  admit  that.  While  minus  the  name, 
see  their  practice : 

1.  ~No  man  could  join  the  band  until  he  could  give  the  neces- 
sary proof  of  a  regenerate  heart. 

2.  He  could  in  no  wise  be  received  into  fellowship  until  he 
had  passed  into  the  door  baptized  by  immersion. 

3.  They  had  no  desire  for  amalgamation  with  any  others. 
Like  some  rivulet  which  pursues  its  way  from  the  mountains 

to  the  sea,  parallel  to,  but  never  mingling  with  the  broad  and 
turbulent  stream,  they  have  come  down  from  the  first  ages  of 
Christianity  preserving  and  transmitting  to  posterity  the  finest 
form  of  practical  godliness  and  gospel  faith  known  to  history 
during  those  long  succeeding  centuries  of  darkness  and  corrup- 
tion. Are  not  these  the  same  peculiarities  of  the  Baptist  church 
to-day?  We  have  no  objection  to  exterior,  yet  we  are  more 
than  jealously  concerned  about  the  interior.  All  who  favor  the 
band  and  join  it  must  give  good  satisfaction  of  being  born 
again.     There  are  80,165,000  christians  in  the  world  who  speak 


236  History  of  the  First 


the  English  language.  The  Baptists  number  among  them  8.06 
per  cent,  of  the  whole  number.  After  more  than  eighteen 
hundred  years  of  fire,  sword. and  starvation,  after  drenching 
hills  and  valleys  of  every  land,  America  not  excepted,  with 
the  blood  of  untold  millions,  yet  the  Baptists  live  and  are 
not  a  barren  waste.  The  life  and  spirit  of  her  captain  are  in- 
fused into  everj^  fibre.  They  rose  like  the  green  bay  tree  planted 
by  living  waters ;  her  leaves  will  not  wither.  Like  the  poplar 
tree  her  beauty.  Like  the  cedar  of  Lebanon  her  strength.  She 
lives  because  Christ  lives.  She  is  beautiful  because  she  is 
dressed  in  her  bridal  robes.  She  is  pregnant  with  strength  be- 
cause she  is  held  by  the  law  and  gospel.  So  she  has  a  wall  and 
a  cannon  loaded  with  sixty-six  deadly  missies — the  whole  Bible. 
The  Baptists  have  eaten  the  whole  book.  Part  of  it  may  be 
bitter,  yet  there  is  sweetness  enough  in  the  twenty-nine  new 
books  to  assure  the  Baptist  there  is  no  danger. 

"  One  army  of  the  living  God, 
To  His  command  we  bow, 
Part  of  the  host  have  crossed  the  flood, 
And  part  are  crossing  now." 


THE  HISTOKY  OF  THE  BAPTISTS. 

BY   REV.    LEVI   THOENTOK. 

Dear  Brethren  of  the  Baptist  Family  of  Georgia  : 

In  appearing  before  you  on  this  auspicious  occasion  I  feel 
deeply  grateful  for  the  honor  conferred  upon  me  in  being  in- 
vited to  speak  on  this  occasion. 

1st.  We  will  speak  of  the  faithfulness  of  our  fathers,  who, 
being  called  of  God  to  enter  into  their  fields  of  labor,  did  it 
faithfully,  believing  that  they  built  on  the  foundation  which 
was  laid  by  Jesus  Christ.  They  were  faithful  in  preaching  the 
gospel  of  Christ  as  they  understood  it.  They  lived  in  the  dark 
age  of  the  world,  yet  they  held  fast  and  struggled  for  liberty. 
They,  faithful  to  their  principles  as  Baptists,  did  not  let  the 
banner  of  the  Lord  Jesus  trail  in  the  dust. 

2d.  Their  Christian  zeal.  They  were  zealous  in  the  cause  of 
the  Divine  Master.  Though  their  enemies  were  strong  and 
active,  they  remembered  the  words  of  the  Apostle  Paul,  "Be 
ye  steadfast,  immovable,  always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the 
Lord,  forasmuch  as  ye  know  that  your  labor  is  not  in  vain  in 
the  Lord." 


African  Baptist  Church.  237 

3d.  Their  trials  and  long  suffering.  In  1630  Roger  Williams 
established  a  Baptist  church  in  this  country,  but  not  without 
great  suffering.  He  contended  for  soul  liberty.  The  Baptists 
have  furnished  quite  their  share  of  martyrs  and  fully  their 
quota  of  able  men  fighting  for  the  divorce  of  church  and  state, 
and  contending  that  man  should  worship  God  according  as  he 
understood  the  dictates  of  the  gospel.  All  through  the  winding 
ages  the  Baptists  have  been  called  to  endure  keen  sacrifice  and 
terrible  suffering.  Their  suffering  has  tended  to  develop  their 
strength,  and  made  them  search  the  scriptures,  which  they 
have  used  to  the  discomfort  of  their  opponents.  Let  us  rejoice 
that  there  has  been  no  disposition  upon  the  part  of  Baptists  in 
any  age  to  shun  the  hallowed  road  of  suffering,  which  is  the 
King's  highway.  For  100  years  our  denomination  has  been 
contending  with  wickedness  in  high  places.  At  times  it  seemed 
that  the  hallowed  old  ship  would  go  down,  but  it  was  upheld 
by  a  hand  divine,  and  for  an  hundred  years  she  has  been  con- 
tending with  the  mad  billows  of  life's  tempestuous  sea.  Our 
fathers  planted  the  banner  of  the  Lord  here,  and  we  are  deter- 
mined that  it  shall  not  trail  in  the  dust.  A  century  has  demon- 
strated the  fact  that  their  labors  were  not  vain  in  the  Lord ; 
neither  shall  ours  be 

Father  Andrew  Bryan,  in  much  trouble  and  sheer  suffering, 
planted  the  first  negro  Baptist  church  in  this  State  an  hundred 
years  ago.  He  was  whipped  until  he  bled  profusely,  but  his 
blood  was  but  an  heaven-born  fertilizer,  to  enrich  and  make 
grow  the  heavenly  plant.  His  tears  were  bottled  by  a  covenant- 
keeping  God,  and  his  groans  a  loving  Jesus  heard.  From  four, 
the  church  soon  numbered  hundreds,  and  later  on,  thousands. 
"So  mightily  grew  the  word  of  God  and  prevailed." 

Father  Andrew  Marshall  followed  him  only  to  suffer  as  he 
did  for  the  same  cause.  He  was  a  great  man,  and  the  people, 
white  and  black,  felt  him.  He  swayed  an  influence  second  to 
none  over  men.  The  people  would  obey  him  at  will.  Soon 
after  this  Father  Csesar  McGrady,  of  Augusta,  came  forth  bear- 
ing the  olive  branch  of  peace,  and  the  Springfield  Baptist 
Church,  of  Augusta,  Ga.,  came  forth  fair  as  the  morning.  Rev. 
Jacob  Walker,  Rev.  Kelly  Low,  Rev.  Cyrus  Thornton,  of  Au- 
gusta, and  Rev.  W.  J.  Campbell,  Henry  Cunningham,  of  Sa- 
vannah, are  also  among  those  who  did  valiant  service  in  the 
cause  of  Christ  among  our  people.  To  this  list  of  worthies  may 
be  added  Revs.  Frank  F.  Bealle,  Peter  Johnson,  Henry  Johnson, 
Henry  Watts,  of  Augusta,  Frank  Quarles,  of  Atlanta,  Rev. 
Jacob  Wade,  of  Thomasville,  Rev.  Owen  George,  of  Atlanta, 
E.  Rucker,  of  Columbus,  and  a  host  of  others  who  have  been 


238  History  of  the  First 


long  since  gathered  in  peace  to  the  saints'  rest.  "These  all 
died  in  the  faith,  not  having  received  the  promises,  but  having 
seen  them  afar  off,  and  were  persuaded  of  them  and  embraced 
them,  and  confessed  that  they  were  strangers  and  pilgrims  on 
the  earth." 

The  church  edifices  an  hundred  years  ago  were  very  common. 
They  could  not  have  been  otherwise.  They  were  built  by  poor 
slaves  who  could  not  control  a  moment  of  their  own  time.  It 
is  a  wonder  that  they  built  any  at  all.  It  is  wonderful  how 
God  blessed  and  led  along  our  fathers  in  those  dark,  bloody 
days.  They  preached  with  a  burning  eloquence  that  did  as 
much  to  astonish  the  slaveholders  in  those  days  as  did  the  ignor- 
ant Galilean  fishermen  in  the  early  days  of  Christianity.  The 
fathers  have  a  very  few  of  their  representatives  now  living. 
Deal  tenderly  with  them,  young  men.  Do  not  run  over  them 
because  you  are  educated,  young  and  strong.  Nothwithstanding 
their  superstition,  the  people  are  living  in  them.  Take  time, 
the  field  will  be  cleared  quite  soon  enough,  and  waiting  for  you 
before  you  are  ready  for  the  work.  These  fathers  will  soon 
join  the  flock  above,  and  you  will  have  all  the  room  you  want. 

Just  twenty-three  years  ago  God  tore  loose  the  iron  bars  of 
slavery  and  set  us  free.  Many  of  the  fathers  prayed  for  this 
but  did  not  live  to  see  it.  They  look  down  from  the  upper 
world  upon  166,429  negro  Baptists  in  Georgia.  From  four  they 
have  come.  George  Leile,  Andrew  Bryan,  Jesse  Peter,  An- 
drew Marshall,  Henry  Cunningham,  Jacob  Walker,  Gsesar  Mc- 
Grady,  and  all  of  our  fathers  must  be  looking  down  from  the 
balconies  of  the  New  Jerusalem  rejoicing  with  us  at  the  glo- 
rious success  that  has  attended  the  army  of  the  Lord  for  these 
one  hundred  years.  A  little  while,  dear  fathers,  and  we  will 
be  there  with  you.  A  few  more  battles  and  the  captain  will 
call  us  off  of  the  field  of  battle  to  join  the  flock  above  and  the 
church  of  the  first-born  that  is  written  in  heaven. 

"  O  when,  thou  city  of  my  God, 
Shall  I  Thy  courts  ascend. 
Where  congregations  ne'er  break  up, 
And  Sabbaths  have  no  end." 


African  Baptist  Church.  239 


THE  WANTS  OF  THE  COLORED  MINISTRY. 

By  Rev.  W.  H.  Mcintosh,  D.  D.,  Theological  Instructor  of  the  Negro 

Baptists  of  Georgia  under  the  State  Mission  Board 

(White),  Macon,  Ga. 

By  this  I  understand  what  is  necessary  to  an  effective  ministry 
among  the  colored  people,  and  to  this  I  reply,  Just  what  is 
requisite  to  an  effective  ministry  among  any  other  people.  The 
gospel  is  intended  for  all  men;  there  is  no  respect  of  persons 
with  God  (Rom.,  ii,  11).  All  men  are  sinners;  all  men  need 
salvation ;  all  men  are  saved  in  the  same  way,  by  repentance 
towards  God  and  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  qualifi- 
cations of  a  minister  are  given  in  the  Scriptures,  and  so  clearly 
that  there  need  be  no  misunderstanding:  "No  man  taketh  this 
honor  unto  himself  but  he  that  is  called  of  God  as  was  Aaron.1' 
—Ex.,  28;  I.  Heb.,  v,  4. 

I  believe  that  God  calls  men  to  preach,  and  when  he  calls 
them  he  makes  it  apparent  to  them  and  to  their  brethren. 
What,  then,  are  the  qualifications  of  a  minister  of  the  gospel? 
A  regenerated  heart,  a  heart  that  has  experienced  the  power  of 
God's  spirit  in  the  renewal  of  his  nature.  As  the  new  birth  is 
the  condition  of  entrance  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  so  is  it  pre- 
eminently essential  to  him  who  is  to  lead  others  into  that  king- 
dom. This  is  so  plain  that  I  need  not  dwell  upon  it  further 
than  to  say  it  is  now  so  easy  to  get  into  the  church  that  it  be- 
comes us  to  be  doubly  guarded,  in  setting  apart  men  to  preach, 
that  they  give  good  evidence  that  they  themselves  "have  passed 
from  death  unto  life,"  who  are  to  be  the  guides  and  instructors 
of  others.  But  all  regenerate  men  are  not  called  to  preach. 
The  desire  of  a  good  man  to  preach  is  not  the  only  thing  to  be 
considered.  David  desired  to  build  a  house  for  God.  It  was 
a  good  desire.  God  accepted  the  desire,  but  not  the  work. 
That  was  reserved  for  Solomon,  David's  son.  "If  a  man  desire 
the  office  of  a  bishop,  he  desireth  a  good  work." — I.  Timothy, 
iii.,  1.  Then  follows  the  qualifications.  Of  the  existence  of  the 
desire  the  candidate  himself  is  the  exclusive  judge,  but  of  his 
fitness  for  the  office,  the  church  and  those  who  are  called  to 
lay  hands  upon  him  and  set  him  apart  to  the  work,  are  the 
judges..  Let  us  look  at  these  qualifications.  "A  bishop  must 
be  blameless,"  of  irreproachable  character  for  truth,  honesty, 
chastity — in  a  word,  an  upright,  godly,  godlike  man;  "the  hus- 
band of  one  wife,"  vigilant,  circumspect,  watchful  over  himself 
as  well  as  others;  "of  good  behavior,  given  to  hospitality,  apt 


IJf.0  History  of  the  First 


to  teach,"  having  the  ability  to  impart  instruction  to  others. 
He  is  a  teacher  and  must  have  something  to  teach.  This  im- 
plies a  knowledge  of  the  scriptures  and  a  disposition  to  acquire 
it.  "  Study  to  show  thyself  approved  unto  God.  A  workman 
that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the  word  of 
truth." — II.  Tim.,  ii,  15.  "  Give  attendance  to  reading,  to  exhor- 
tation, to  doctrine.  Neglect  not  the  gift  that  is  in  thee,  which 
was  given  by  prophecy,  with  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the 
presbytery.  Meditate  upon  these  things;  give  thyself  wholly 
to  them ;  that  thy  profiting  may  appear  to  all.  Take  heed  to 
thyself,  and  unto  the  doctrine ;  continue  in  them ;  for  in  doing 
this  thou  shall  both  save  thyself  and  them  that  hear  thee." — I. 
Tim.,  iv,  13-16.  Now  what  does  all  this  teach ?  Why,  that  the 
man  of  God  must  have  a  knowledge  of  the  things  God  has  re- 
vealed in  His  word;  for  "All  scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of 
God,  and  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction, 
for  instruction  in  righteousness :  that  the  man  of  God  may  be 
perfect,  thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works." — II.  Tim., 
hi,  16.  Here  is  the  foundation  of  spiritual  knowledge  open  to 
all,  and  he  is  wise  who  drinks  of  the  pure  water  of  life. 

There  is  no  prescribed  amount  of  learning  of  the  schools 
which  qualifies  a  man  for  the  ministry,  but  he  must  have  a 
knowledge  of  the  scriptures — a  knowledge  of  the  things  he  is 
to  teach  others.  There  is  a  thought  with  some  that  if  a  man 
wishes  to  preach  the  church  should  ordain  or  license  him ;  that 
his  desire  constitutes  a  call.  I  do  not  find  it  so  in  the  word  of 
God.  There  must  be  a  desire  on  the  part  of  the  candidate,  and 
the  apostles  say  it  is  a  good  desire,  but  he  lays  down  other 
qualifications  quite  as  important.  Now  when  the  candidate  has 
a  desire,  of  which,  I'll  repeat,  he  is  the  judge,  and  the  church 
finds  him  qualified  by  moral  character,  and  other  requirements, 
among  them  ability  to  teach,  where  the  church  can  approve 
him  as  a  good  man  and  capable  of  instructing  men  in  the  way 
of  salvation,  and  the  judgment  of  the  church  and  his  convictions 
of  duty  coincide,  I  think  that  may  be  regarded  as  a  call  to  the 
ministry.  In  substance,  these  are  the  views  of  that  good  and 
wise  man  Andrew  Fuller.  I  commend  these  thoughts  to  your 
consideration.  Not  my  suggestions,  but  the  thoughts  of  the 
holy  spirit ;  the  rules  which  he  has  given  in  setting  apart  men 
to  preach  the  gospel,  by  the  observance  of  which  you  may  have 
an  effective  ministry.  Do  not  ordain  a  man  to  the  ministry 
simply  because  he  wants  to  be  ordained.  Do  not  ordain  a  man 
whose  character  is  not  above  reproach.  Do  not  ordain  a  man  who 
is  not  "apt  to  teach."  Yet  if  he  had  all  the  learning  that  all 
the  schools  and  colleges  in  the  land  could  afford,  if  he  had  the 


African  Baptist  Church.  21^.1 

wisdom  of  Solomon,  but  did  not  give  evidence  of  a  regenerated 
heart  and  a  consecrated  spirit,  no  consideration  could  induce 
me  to  lay  these  hands  on  him  and  set  him  apart  to  the  work  of 
the  ministry. 

Sanctified  learning  is  a  blessing  to  its  possessors,  and  to  those 
who  are  brought  under  its  influence,  whether  he  be  a  preacher 
or  a  private  member  of  the  church.  I  do  not  know  that  ignor- 
ance is  a  blessing  to  any  one,  and  yet  there  are  some  who  seem 
to  set  a  premium  upon  it.  They  have  the  idea  that  the  apos- 
tles of  our  Lord  were  unlearned  and  ignorant  men,  and  there- 
fore that  ignorance  is  not  only  no  bar  to  the  ministry  but  a 
recommendation  to  it.  It  is  true  the  apostles  had  not  what 
we  would  call  a  liberal  education.  They  had  not  like  Saul  of 
Tarsus  (after  his  conversion  known  as  Paul)  been  brought  up 
under  the  teachings  of  the  wise  men  of  that  day,  but  they  could 
read  and  write.  Two  of  them — Matthew  and  John — wrote  the 
gospels  bearing  their  names.  Peter  wrote  two  epistles,  and 
shows  by  his  preaching  that  he  was  a  man  of  remarkable  abil- 
ity. John  wrote  in  addition  to  the  gospel  bearing  his  name 
three  epistles  and  the  Book  of  Revelations.  James  wrote  one 
epistle,  and  Paul  wrote  and  preached  with  power  that  made 
kings  tremble.  These  men  were  inspired,  but  they  were  men 
of  good  common  sense,  and  were  for  three  years  (except  Paul) 
under  the  "Great  Teacher,"  the  wisest  teacher  the  world  ever 
saw,  who  "spake  as  never  man  spake."  They  witnessed  His 
works,  they  heard  His  words  and  were  His  daily  companions. 

Who  ever  had  in  the  world's  history  such  a  teacher?  And 
then  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  by  the  miraculous  gift  of  tongues, 
the  ability  to  speak  languages  of  which  hitherto  they  were 
ignorant,  they  preached  the  gospel  to  Parthians  and  Medes  and 
Elimites,  and  the  dwellers  in  Mesopotamia,  and  in  India,  and 
Cappadocia,  and  Pontus,  and  Asia,  Phrygia,  and  Pamphylia,  in 
Egypt,  and  in  the  parts  of  Lybia,  about  Cyrene,  strangers  of 
Rome,  Jews  and  Proselytes,  Cretes  and  Arabians,  who  heard  in 
their  own  tongues  the  wonderful  works  of  God.  I  tell  you  they 
were  the  most  learned  ministers  in  everything  pertaining  to  the 
subject  of  salvation  and  in  human  learning  necessary  to  convey 
to  others  the  knowledge  of  God  and  Christ,  and  heaven  and 
eternal  life,  that  the  world  ever  saw  or  ever  will  see  again. 

God  does  not  work  miracles  now  in  the  bestowment  of  such 
gifts  upon  men,  but  he  does  require  them  to  study  His  word, 
acquaint  themselves  with  His  will  therein  revealed,  that  they 
may  be  wise  to  win  souls.  "The  entrance  of  the  word  giveth 
light;  it  giveth  understanding  to  the  simple.'' — Ps.  cxix,  130. 


2Jfi  History  of  the  First 


The  men  who  preached  the  gospel  in  the  early  history  of 
Georgia  were  not  men  of  great  learning,  but  like  Apollus  they 
were  "mighty  in  the  scriptures."  They  had  few  books,  but 
they  had  the  book,  the  word  of  God,  and  they  drank  in  its 
divine  lessons  as  a  thirsty  man  drinks  water.  They  studied  the 
Bible  on  their  knees  and  when  they  went  before  the  people  they 
carried  a  message  of  divine  truth  to  be  enforced  by  the  power 
of  the  holy  ghost.  I  point  to  these  men  as  illustrations  of  what 
may  be  accomplished  when  men  are  consecrated  to  God  and  do 
the  best  they  can  with  their  opportunities.  Many  of  our  early 
preachers  preached  all  day,  and  by  the  light  of  pine-knot  fires 
studied  such  books  as  they  could  get,  but  chiefly  the  Bible.  I 
hold  in  reverence  the  men  who  in  heat  or  cold,  in  poverty  and 
persecution,  with  apostolic  zeal  preached  the  gospel  and  laid 
the  foundation  of  denominational  prosperity  in  which  we  re- 
joice to-day.  The  progress  of  Baptist  principles  in  Georgia, 
expressed  by  figures,  counts  up :  White  Baptists  connected  with 
the  conventions,  103,232;  friendly  to,  but  not  connected  with 
it,  27,286;  anti-missionaries,  12,000;  total,  142,518;  total  col- 
ored Baptists,  166,429;  grand  total,  308,947. 

"  So  mightily  grew  the  word  of  God  and  prevailed." — Acts, 
xix,  20.  Among  those  of  the  colored  preachers  who  deserve 
special  mention,  and  who  have  done  good  service  in  the  cause 
of  Christ  in  this  part  of  the  State  and  in  this  city,  were  Andrew 
Bryan,  the  first  pastor  of  this  church,  Andrew  Marshall,  Henry 
Cunuingham,  and,  in  later  days,  Cox,  Campbell  and  many  others 
occupying  less  prominent  positions  who  were  godly  men,  labor- 
ing in  word  and  doctrine,  were  true  to  God  and  man.  I  men- 
tion these  because  they  were  identified  with  the  origin  and 
growth  of  the  denomination  before  and  during  the  times  of  the 
old  Sunbury  Association.  There  are  others  as  prominent  in 
parts  of  Georgia,  but  I  have  not  the  record  of  their  labors. 

This  church  enjoyed  for  many  years  the  labors  of  Andrew 
Bryan  and  Andrew  Marshall.  The  latter  I  knew  personally. 
He  was  "a  remarkable  man  and  wielded  a  large  influence,  as 
did  also  Henry  Cunningham.  They  were  good  men,  useful  in 
their  day,  "  and  their  works  follow  them." 

The  opportunities  of  colored  preachers  of  to-day  are  far 
greater  than  theirs.  You  have  schools  and  books  and  a  semi- 
nary especially  for  young  men  looking  to  the  ministry.  If  to 
obtain  an  education  you  have  to  practice  self-denial,  let  me  say 
to  you,  an  education  will  be  worth  all  the  sacrifices  you  may 
make  to  secure  it.  To  the  young  men  I  would  say,  do  not  be 
impatient  to  enter  upon  the  work  of  the  ministr}7  before  you 
have  made  the  best  preparation  that  you  can  make.     If  you 


African  Ba])tist   Church.  2^3 

have  not  the  means  to  pay  your  way  at  school  for  a  year,  work 
half  the  year  and  go  to  school  the  other  half.  Better  live  hard 
and  dress  in  plain  clothes,  like  John  the  Baptist,  than  to  rush 
into  the  ministry  without  any  preparation  for  it.  A  man  who 
resolves  to  have  an  education,  I  mean  a  young  man  unincum- 
bered with  a  family  and  has  the  pluck  in  him  to  endure  hard- 
ness, will  accomplish  his  purpose.  And  do  not  be  in  a  hurry  to 
marry.  "Marriage  is  honorable,"  but  an  education  is  indis- 
pensable to  him  who  would  "make  full  proof  of  his  ministry." 
But  there  is  a  number  who  are  not  able  to  take  advantage  of 
the  schools.  They  have  families  dependent  upon  them,  and 
some  are  advanced  in  life.  What  can  they  do?  I  am  glad  to 
testify  to  the  self-improvement  of  many  of  this  class  who  are 
studying  the  Bible  and  getting  books  as  best  they  can,  and  who 
are  anxious  to  receive  instructions  by  means  of  institutes  and 
in  every  way  in  which  it  is  accessible.  You  want  help.  Your 
white  brethren  are  deeply  concerned  about  you  and  earnestly 
desire  to  extend  the  helping  hand  in  every  practical  way. 

SOUTHERN   BAPTIST   CONVENTION. 

"  The  report  of  the  Committee  on  Colored  Population  was  sub- 
mitted by  Dr.  Sydnor,  of  Virginia.  The  report  expressed  convic- 
tion of  the  importance  of  fraternal  relation  between  the  two 
races,  and  the  duty  of  the  whites  to  extend  a  helping  hand  to  the 
colored  people.  In  some  respects  the  condition  of  the  negroes 
is  better,  and  in  some  respects  worse.  The  negroes  prefer  their 
own  people  to  minister  to  them,  and  our  effort  should  be  to  help 
them  with  counsel  and  money.  The  committee  approve  of  the 
work  the  Home  Board  is  doing  in  this  direction. 

"Rev.  Miller,  of  Arkansas,  approves  the  report,  and  speaks 
words  of  commendation  of  the  work  the  negroes  are  doing. 
He  urges  that  we  help  them. 

"Rev.  Booker,  colored,  of  Arkansas,  speaks  to  the  convention. 
He  is  not  here  to  speak  on  social  or  political  questions,  nor  an 
exodus  movement.  He  is  here  to  present  the  claims  of  the 
colored  Baptists.  We  are  one  denominationally  and  sectionally. 
You  are  ahead  of  us,  and  we  need  your  help.  Especially  I 
speak  on  education.  In  Arkansas  we  have  established  a  col- 
ored Baptist  college.  The  past  year  we  had  forty-five  preachers 
at  our  school.  What  we  need  is  your  help.  We  need  light 
among  our  people  in  Arkansas.     It  is  your  interest  to  help  us." 

REPORT  OF  THEOLOGICAL  INSTRUCTOR   APPOINTED  BY  THE  GEORGIA 
BAPTIST  CONVENTION. 

"The  interest  of  the  preachers  is  unabated,  and  they  express 
gratitude  for  the  service  rendered.     Many  of  them  exhibit  a 


244-  History  of  the  First 


commendable  desire  for  improvement,  and  receive  gladly  such 
aid  as  I  can  give  them  in  procuring  books.  This  I  have 
been  enabled  to  do  to  a  limited  extent  by  recommendations 
to  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  for  Ministers' 
Libraries,  which  are  furnished  gratuitously  by  the  society. 
The  colored  Baptists  of  Georgia  are  preparing  to  celebrate  by 
appropriate  services  the  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  in  Savannah.  It  is 
worthy  of  record  that  this  church,  with  others  subsequently 
organized,  was  recognized  by  their  white  brethren  as  a  regular 
Baptist  church.  As  such  it  united  with  the  Sunbury  Associa- 
tion, and  in  its  ministry  and  work  in  the  cause  of  true  religion 
has  an  honorable  history.  Upon  the  whole  there  are  hopeful 
signs  of  progress  in  the  ministry  of  the  colored  Baptists  of 
Georgia." 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  extracts  which  I  have  read  that  you 
have  the  sympathy  of  your  white  brethren ;  that  they  are  ready 
to  help  by  counsel  and  with  money  as  far  as  they  are  able. 
The  Georgia  Baptist  convention  and  the  Home  Mission  Board 
of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  have  shown  their  willing- 
ness to  aid  you,  not  only  by  cooperation  in  the  work  of  mission- 
aries but  by  the  appointment  of  a  theological  instructor,  whose 
exclusive  business  it  is  to  hold  institutes  for  the  benefit  of  your 
preachers  and  deacons  and  all  others  who  choose  to  attend.  Our 
Northern  brethern  have  established  a  seminary  in  Atlanta,  to 
which  I  advise  every  man,  young  and  old,  who  can  attend  it 
to  do  so.  Take  every  opportunity  to  get  knowledge  that  will 
enable  you  to  understand  God's  word  under  the  enlightening 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  If  you  cannot  go  to  Atlanta,  do  the 
best  you  can  at  home. 

A  minister  is  said  to  be  a  workman.  Paul  says,  "According 
to  the  grace  of  God  which  is  given  unto  me,  as  a  wise  master- 
builder,  I  have  laid  the  foundation,  and  another  buildeth  thereon. 
But  let  every  man  take  heed  how  he  buildeth  thereupon." — I. 
Cor.,  iii,  10.  These  words  should  ring  in  the  ears  and  fill  with 
trembling  the  heart  of  every  'man  who  stands  before  the  people 
as  a  messenger  from  God.  As  a  workman  you  cannot  be  too 
careful  of  the  doctrines  you  preach  and  the  materials  you  bring 
into  the  house  of  God.  An  intelligent  consecrated  ministry  is 
the  most  important  factor  in  the  elevation,  physically,  intellec- 
tually and  morally,  of  any  people.  You  have  opportunities 
never  before  opened  to  your  race.  Great  opportunities  bring 
grave  responsibilities.  AVith  you  preachers  rests  largely  the 
future  destiny  of  your  race.     You  are   their   chosen  leaders; 


African  Baptist   Church.  2J/.5 

you  mould  their  opinions,  and  give  tone  to  society.  You  need 
to  be  "  wise  as  serpents  and  harmless  as  doves.''  It  is  a  tremen- 
dous responsibility  that  you  bear ;  not  only  their  well-being  in 
the  present  life,  but  you  are  dealing  with  souls  that  shall  live 
in  heaven  or  hell  forever. 

"  Tis  not  a  cause  of  small  import 
The  pastor's  care  demands, 
But  what  might  fill  an  angel's  heart, 
And  filled  the  Saviour's  hands." 

I  pity  the  man  who  preaches  for  the  praise  of  men,  who  fails 
to  declare  the  whole  counsel  of  God  lest  he  offend  his  hearers. 
He  will  get  his  reward,  but  it  will  not  be  the  "Well  done,  good 
and  faithful  servant,"  from  the  lips  of  the  Master  and  the  final 
Judge.  The  man  who  preaches  for  filthy  lucre's  sake,  "sup- 
posing that  gain  is  godliness,"  will  receive  his  wages,  but  it  will 
not  be  the  "crown  of  life"  that  Paul  expected.  "  To  this  man 
will  I  look,  saith  the  Lord,  even  to  him  that  is  poor  and  of 
a  contrite  spirit,  and  trembleth  at  My  word." — Is.,  lxvi,  2. 
"Not  by  might,  nor  by  power,  but  by  My  spirit,  saith  the  Lord 
of  Hosts." — Zech.,  iv,  6.  I  have  confined  myself  to  this  particu- 
lar view  of  the  subject  because  I  regard  it  the  very  foundation 
of  an  effective  ministry,  and  an  effective  ministry  as  an  absolute 
necessity  to  the  progress  of  your  people,  socialty,  morally,  and 
in  their  material  prosperity. 

We  view  with  heartfelt  gratification  the  evidences  of  progress 
and  prosperity  manifest  on  this  occasion.  This  is  but  the 
beginning  of  your  career.  What  its  future  history  shall  be 
must  depend  chiefly  upon  yourselves.  As  the  years  roll  on 
may  they  find  you  "  forgetting  those  things  that  are  behind,  and 
reaching  forth  to  those  things  that  are  before  pressing  towards 
the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ 
Jesus."  And  when  the  warfare  of  life  is  over  may  each  of  you, 
preachers  and  people,  be  found  in  Christ  and  receive  "the 
crown  of  life." 


■ 

THE  WANTS  OF  THE  COLORED  MINISTRY. 

An  Address  Delivered  by  Rev.  Alexander  Ellis  at  the  Centennial  Cele- 
bration, June  7th,  1888. 

This  is  rather  a  comprehensive  subject,  and  to  some  extent  it 
is  fraught  with  vagueness.  Our  wants  are  many  and  varied. 
Some  are  reasonable  while  others  are  unreasonable.  One 
minister  may  want  a  house  and  lot ;  another  a  horse  and  buggy. 


?4@  History  of  the  First 


One  a  new  suit  of  clothes ;  another  a  few  books.  One  may 
want  popularity ;  another  only  a  little  rent-money,  etc.  In- 
deed it  would  be  a  difficult  task  to  find  any  two  men  who  want 
precisely  the  same  thing. 

But  as  our  subject  is  a  comprehensive  one,  and  as  our  time  is 
limited,  we  will  confine  ourselves  to  one  aspect  of  it,  and  so 
endeavor  to  suggest  a  few  thoughts  relative  unto  and  deducible 
from  it. 

In  order  fully  to  appreciate  and  discuss  this  subject,  there- 
fore, let  us  consider  a  few  things  pertaining  to  the  Present  Age 
and  the  Christian  ministry  suitable  for  it. 

We  are  living  in  an  age  which  is  unquestionably  the  ripest  in 
the  history  of  the  world.  It  is  an  age  laden  with  all  the  forms 
of  good — civilization,  freedom,  religion,  virtue  and  happiness, 
all  of  which  have  been  growing  and  accumulating  from  the 
beginning.  This  is  an  age  richer  in  knowledge,  experience  and 
all  the  means  of  enjoyment  than  all  the  former  ages  taken 
together.  It  is  richer  in  hope  and  expectation,  because  it  is 
nearer  the  millennial  day  than  any  other  age.  It  abounds  in 
schemes  and  agencies  for  realizing  this  epoch  more  than  any 
other.  Moreover,  it  is  the  age  in  which  we  live,  which  has 
made  us  what  we  are,  on  which  we  reflect  the  influence  of  our 
character  and  doings,  whether  for  good  or  evil,  and  which  we 
are  bound  to  render  mightily  efficient  in  ameliorating  and  bless- 
ing the  ages  which  are  to  come. 

Many  are  the  hearts  at  this  moment  beating  and  panting, 
and  many  are  the  minds  which  are  eagerly  contriving  and  reso- 
lutely determined  to  do  something  which  shall  not  only  benefit 
and  adorn  the  present  age  but  create  for  it  a  perpetual  claim 
on  the  warmest  gratitude  and  sublimest  admiration  of  coming 
generations.  Legislators  and  politicians,  philosophers  and  men 
of  science,  moralists  and  religionists,  are  all  intent  on  a  new 
and  better  order  of  things  and  the  best  method  of  achieving  it. 

The  elevation  of  the  country  and  the  world  in  intelligence,  in 
justice,  in  liberty,  in  moral  improvement,  and  in  all  the  means  of 
private  and  social  happiness  is  a  subject  which  is  occupying  a 
greater  number  of  ardent  and  generous  spirits  to-day  more  so 
than  at  any  former  period.  As  a  matter  of  course  our  sympa- 
thies are  chiefly  with  the  religionists,  those  who  profess  to  have 
no  hope  of  the  true  advancement  of  either  the  present  or  any 
future  generation  save  on  the  basis  of  a  genuine  Christianity. 

In  common  with  other  Protestant  denominations,  as  Baptists 
we  believe,  and  do  insist,  that  the  true  enlightenment,  reno- 
vation and  happiness  of  this  or  any  future  age  is  absolutely 
dependent  upon  the  deep  and  wide  diffusion  of  the  religion  of 


African  Baptist  Church.  247 

Jesus  Christ,  which  calls  for  a  ministry  "worthy  and  well  quali- 
ified"  to  preach  its  doctrines  and  precepts  and  administer  its 
sacred  ordinances.  But  to  do  this  we  must  have  a  ministry 
much  better  reinforced  in  mental  strength  and  vigor,  as  well 
as  in  more  varied  attainments  and  in  more  liberal  tempo- 
ral provision.  Churches  and  communities  are  to-day  calling 
for  a  ministry  better  able  to  meet  all  the  requirements  of  the 
present  age,  and  ministers  are  looking  for  churches  better  able 
to  compensate  them  for  their  devotion  and  service,  their  capaci- 
ties and  gifts,  so  that  they  may  live  above  penury  and  want.  A 
hungry  minister  cannot  preach.  An  untidy"  preacher  cannot 
fitly  represent  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  is  the  quintes- 
sence of  purity. 

A  preacher  may  not  necessarily  be  profoundly  versed  in  all 
sciences  and  literature;  he  may  not  be  a  master  of  all  lan- 
guages, not  even  those  which  are  called  sacred ;  he  may  not 
have  threaded  all  the  labyrinths  and  mazes  of  history ;  he  may 
not  be  able  to  discuss  the  principles  and  deductions  of  philoso- 
phy ;  he  may  not  have  slaked  his  thirst  at  all  the  fountains  of 
poetry,  whose  pellucid  streams  flow  from  the  verdant  land  of 
imagination,  emptying  themselves  into  the  ocean  of  the  soul, 
where  the  tranquil  breeze  of  love  regales  its  recipient  into  the 
ecstacies  of  devotion ;  he  may  not  have  thoroughly  studied  and 
mastered  the  dogmas  and  tenets  of  all  religions,  and  he  majr 
not  be  equipped  for  encountering  and  successfully  repelling 
every  conceivable  objection  against  Christianity;  but  he  wants, 
and  should  have,  the  grand  prerequisites  of  natural  capacity, 
good  common  sense,  and,  above  all,  genuine  piety.  He  should 
know  the  word  of  God,  and  be  respectabl}7  read  in  general 
literature.  In  a  word,  he  should  have  a  mind  to  understand, 
a  heart  to  feel,  a  tongue  to  speak  and  a  message  meet  to  be 
delivered.     This  last  is  a  stern  necessity. 

In  one  respect,  therefore,  and  that  a  deeply  vital  one,  there 
is  a  demand  on  the  present  ministry  of  all  denominations  to  see 
to  it  that  its  mental  and  spiritual  life  be  of  the  strength  and 
energy  commensurate  with  the  progress  and  calls  of  this  pres- 
ent age.  There  are  certain  characteristics  of  the  period  which 
can  be  successfully  dealt  with  by  no  ministry  of  ordinary  mental 
vigor  and  attainment.  Spiritual  life,  in  its  proper  and  normal 
degree,  consists  of  love  to  God  for  his  adorable  pei'fections  and 
benignant  acts,  of  grateful  devotedness  to  Christ  for  his  match- 
less condescension  and  self-sacrifice  in  the  work  of  our  salva- 
tion, of  an  insatiable  hungering  and  thirsting  after  righteous- 
ness in  all  its  forms  for  Christ's  sake,  of  warmest  benevolence, 
in  imitation  of  Him,  for  all  our  brethren  of  the  human  race, 


?4S  History  of  the  First 


and  of  readiness  to  do  or  suffer  whatever  may  savingly  befriend 
theni.  It  starts  at  the  touch  and  thought  of  sin,  is  smitten  and 
captivated  by  the  beauty  of  holiness,  and  longs  to  be  pervaded 
and  clothed  with  it.  It  is  familiar  with  the  glories  of  the  in- 
visible world,  is  not  seduced  into  a  false  estimate  of  the  specious 
shadows  of  terrene  things,  sees  with  instant  and  piercing  glance 
the  priceless  worth  of  souls,  and  is  persuaded  that  in  heaven,  as 
well  as  upon  earth,  there  is  no  work  so  angelic  or  God-like  as  to 
labor  for  the  salvation  of  mankind. 

Now  it  may  be  doubted  whether  the  piety  of  the  ministry  in 
any  section  of  the  christian  church  is  at  present  of  this  divine 
order.  Otherwise,  how  is  it  that  their  labors,  so  extended  and 
multiplied,  not  only  from  week  to  week,  but  from  day  to  day, 
and  seconded  by  all  the  manifold  auxiliaries  and  agencies  which 
they  have  created,  gain  so  little  on  the  irreligion  and  worldliness 
of  the  multitudes  whom  they  are  endeavoring  to  quicken  in  the 
life  of  godliness?  Is  it  not  the  universal  feeling  with  them- 
selves and  all  who  are  interested  in  their  success  that  there  is  a 
mournful  disproportion  between  the  efforts  made  and  the 
results  obtained?  that  for  one  who  is  rejoicing  because  his 
labors  are  richly  blessed,  there  are  twenty  discouraged  and  per- 
plexed by  the  fact  that,  while  they  have  prophesied  to  "the 
valley  of  dry  bones,"  there  has  been  no  divine  breath  to  revive 
and  animate  them?  And  nothing  would  be  more  hopeful, 
whether  for  present  or  future  progress,  than  for  the  whole 
ministry — of  whatever  rank,  or  race,  or  religion — to  lay  this 
matter  to  heart  and  to  ask  God,  in  deep  humiliation  and  earn- 
est prayer,  that  He  would  be  pleased  to  shed  light  on  their 
counsels  and  doings,  and  so  replenish  them  and  their  labors 
with  the  grace  of  His  holy  spirit  that  in  ardor  of  zeal  and 
strength  of  faith,  in  personal  sanctity  and  unsparing  devoted- 
ness,  and  in  quenchless  sympathy  with  the  utmost  claims  of 
their  momentous  vocation,  they  might  resume  their  laboi'S  and 
find  in  them  an  unwonted  refreshment,  recompense  and  grati- 
fication. This  would  put  them  into  harmony  with  the  wants 
of  the  age,  and  give  them  power  over  whatever  may  have  thus 
far  resisted  them,  more  so  than  the  largest  endowment  of 
learning,  knowledge  and  eloquence,  by  an  increase  and  quick- 
ening of  their  spiritual  life.  They  would  have  an  instinctive 
perception  of  the  truths  most  proper  to  be  taught  and  enjoined; 
would  deliver  them  with  the  divine  and  captivating  unction 
which  surpasses  all  the  arts  of  rhetoric,  and  MTith  the  conscious 
presence  of  the  Holy  One  granted  only  to  lowly  self-distrust 
and  prayerful  reliance  on  His  aid.  Xor  would  they  have  to 
lament  that  but  few  of  superior  capacity  and  gifts  aspired  to 


African  Baptist   Church.  2Jf.9 

share  the  responsibility  of  their  sacred  office.  Their  improved 
and  enlightened  ministrations  would  infuse  fresh  life  into  their 
flocks,  and  thus  yield  a  far  greater  number  of  pious  young  men, 
who,  abandoning  the  mediaeval  rant  and  cant,  would  show 
themselves  "  worthy  and  well  qualified"  for  their  high  christian 
service  by  the  intelligence  of  their  utterances  and  the  gravity 
of  their  demeanor,  while  their  own  commanding  example,  now 
attracting  so  much  veneration  and  love,  and  adorned  with  the 
fruits  of  holy  usefulness  would  fire  those  youthful  aspirants 
with  a  hallowed  and  noble  emulation  to  be  admitted  to  their 
priestly  ranks  without  any  other  lure  or  compensation  than  the 
smile  of  their  Saviour  and  the  opportunity  of  serving  his  divine 
cause  of  salvation  and  benevolence. 

And  such  a  ministry  whose  spiritual  life  had  been  raised  to 
that  vigor  and  energy  worthy  of  the  faithful  service  of  Christ, 
and  our  obligations  to  him  would  be  unquestionably  equal  to 
the  necessities  of  this  day  and  generation.  Shall  we  not,  there- 
fore, arise  and  watch  and  pray  ?  Mourning  over  our  deficien- 
cies, humbled  on  account  of  our  past  failures,  surveying  the 
urgent  claims  of  the  multitude  around  us,  and  knowing  wherein 
our  chief  strength  for  answering  them  lies,  shall  we  not  beftke 
ourselves  to  the  throne  of  grace  and  plead  mightily  for  such  a 
baptism  of  the  holy  spirit  as  shall  conquer  self  and  make  us 
instrumental  in  effecting  the  salvation  of  others?  So  shall  we 
best  serve  our  age  and  realize  in  its  sublimest  sense  the  double 
benediction  of  being  ''blest  and  made  a  blessing." 


THE  WANTS  OF  THE  COLORED  MINISTRY. 

BY  REV.  W.  G.  JOHNSON,  AUGUSTA,  GA. 

The  first  thing  necessary  to  prepare  a  man  to  preach  the 
gospel  of  Christ  is  to  receive  the  gospel  himself.  The  apostle 
says,  "First  take  heed  to  thyself,  then  to  the  doctrines."  The 
preaching  of  the  gospel  is  the  proclaiming  the  news  of  salvation 
through  Christ.  ISTo  man  can  recommend  Christ  well  except  he 
knows  Him.  It  is  the  religion  of  Christ  that  gives  to  the  min- 
ister that  burning  eloquence  that  no  training  can  give.  Religion 
makes  the  flash  of  the  eyes,  the  enthusiastic  gestures,  which  are 
great  auxiliaries  in  producing  the  desired  effect.  True  religion 
alone  makes  a  man  a  true  representative  of  Christ  on  the  earth. 


250  History  of  the  Fir, 


A  distinguished  divine  tells  of  a  missionary  who  preached  in  a 
desolate  country  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  kingdom,  where  the 
people  could  not  understand  the  many  doctrinal  truths  related, 
out  the  fiery  zeal  with  which  he  spoke  moved  thousands  to 
believe. 

The  next  very  important  need  is  good  morals.  Even  a 
christian  with  corrupt  morals  will  fail  to  accomplish  much 
good.  Of  the  minister  it  ought  to  be  said,  "Behold  an  Israelite, 
indeed,  in  whom  there  is  no  guile."  These  prerequisites  in 
ministerial  character  are  not  more  wanting  in  the  negro's  min- 
isterial qualification  than  that  of  any  other  people.  But  there 
are  two  things  necessary  that  are  more  wanting  generally  in 
the  colored  ministry  than  in  many  others. 

Education. — The  indispensable  need  of  ministerial  education 
can't  be  too  much  emphasized,  j  Education,  according  to  Web- 
ster, is  the  cultivation  of  the  mind  and  the  training  of  the  man- 
ners. Education  is  not  the  learning  of  a  few  Greek  sentences, 
or  to  solve  a  few  mathematical  problems,  but  it  is  the  result  of 
these  investigations  upon  the  mind.  It  causes  the  mind  to  ex- 
pand, and  enables  it  to  grapple  with  thousands  of  mysteries. 
Had*  we  continued  perfect  as  God  created  the  first  man,  per- 
haps the  perfection  of  our  nature  could  have  supplied  in  itself  a 
sufficient  tutor.  As  sickness  and  disease  have  necessitated  the 
use  of  medicines  and  physicians  to  restore  nature  to  its  normal 
state,  so  the  only  end  of  education  is  to  restore  our  natural 
nature  to  its  proper  state.  Education  is  reason  borrowed,  which 
goes  as  far  as  possible  to  supply  original  perfection.  It  has 
been  said  that  as  physic  may  justly  be  called  the  art  of  restor- 
ing health,  so  education  should  be  called  the  art  of  recovering 
to  man  his  rational  perfection.  • 

2d.  The  manners  are  very  essential.  To  this  end,  Pythago- 
ras, Socrates,  Plato  and  all  of  the  ancient  instructors  labored. 
They  endeavored  to  teach  their  pupils  the  nature  of  man,  his 
true  end,  the  right  use  of  his  faculties,  the  immortality'  of  the 
soul,  the  agreeableness  of  virtue  to  the  divine  nature,  the  neces- 
sity of  temperance,  justice,  mercy  and  truth.  Education  that 
does  not  refine  the  manners  is  not  worth  having.  Education 
cultivates  the  mind,  polishes  the  manners  and  opens  up  an 
avenue  of  new  discoveries.  It  gives  the  possessor  a  keen-eyed, 
quick  perception  and  a  wonderful  power  of  speech. 

If  education  is  so  necessary  for  the  lawyer  who  represents 
our  interest  at  the  bar  of  legal  justice,  how  much  more  neces- 
sary is  it  for  him  who  must  grapple  with  the  deep  mysteries  of 
God  and  who  must  be  the  counselor  of  our  souls  to  be  edu- 
cated.    No  class  of  men  appear  before  the  public  from  two  to 


African  Baptist  Church.  251 

three  tiraes  a  week  as  the  clergy.  No  class  of  men  appear 
before  so  large  a  number  of  persons  at  one  time  with  original  dis- 
courses as  the  preacher.  Often  the  minister  is  called  upon  to 
speak  upon  the  spur  of  the  moment,  hence  the  need  of  prepa- 
ration. When  disease  makes  an  inroad  upon  the  system  and 
preys  upon  constitution,  prostrating  its  victims,  how  we  seek 
the  skilled  physician.  How  the  physician  trembles  in  dealing 
out  the  remedies,  seeing  it  is  a  dangerous  case.  Since  the 
physician  for  the  body  must  thus  be  prepared,  how  much  more 
should  the  prescriber  for  the  soul  be.  A  very  distinguished 
divine  once  said:  ''I  can  meet  the  arguments  of  my  opponent 
and  look  him  in  the  face,  but  I  can't  walk  up  my  pulpit  stairs 
without  my  knees  striking  together  in  fear.'' 

Oh,  how  vast  and  important  the  work  of  saving  souls.  The 
scriptures  say,  "  He  that  win  souls  is  wise.'"  The  gospel 
must  be  preached  sublimely  though  simply,  and  simply  though 
sublimely.  We  live  in  an  age  of  progress,  in  an  age  of  mental 
excitements,  and  he  that  doth  not  heed  the  mandate,  ''get 
knowledge,"  must  take  a  back  seat.  The  vast  number  of  men 
and  women  coming  from  our  schools  each  year  sets  forth  most 
strikingly  the  urgent  need  of  an  educated  ministry.  Water 
will  seek  its  level.  Other  denominations  are  educating  their 
ministry,  and  if  our  pulpits  remain  unfilled  by  intelligence,  our 
own  children  will  leave  us  and  be  caught  in  other  nets.  The 
apostles  were  not  ignorant  men ;  they  were  in  advance  of  the 
masses.  Besides,  the  need  of  education  could  have  been  more 
easily  dispensed  with,  since  they  walked  in  the  immediate  pres- 
ence of  Christ. 

The  fathers,  whose  names  we  revere  and  whose  memory  we 
cherish,  have  done  well.  They  have  accomplished  much.  We 
love  them  for  it,  and  when  they  are  gone  and  our  kindness 
prompts  us  to  look  over  the  graves  where  their  bodies  shall  lie, 
we  will  moisten  their  dust  with  our  tears  and  exclaim,  "Thank 
God  the  fathers  lived."  We  must  recollect  that  the  fathers 
lived  in  a  time  when  there  were  only  two  successful  denomina- 
tions, Methodist  and  Baptist,  and  as  the  Baptists  had  the  Bible 
on  their  side  they  easily  predominated.  But  things  are  changiug. 
Silver-tongued  orators  of  other  denominations  are  trespassing 
on  Baptist  ground,  and  stealing  the  hearts  of  our  young  people. 

Catholicism  is  growing  into  popularity  among  the  negroes.  The 
fathers  did  not  have  this  to  contend  with.  The  Catholic  church 
is  building  schools,  teaching  our  children,  riveting  their  doc- 
trine in  them  so  strongly  that  it  will  not  be  easily  removed. 
All  they  ask  is  to  get  the  young,  and  they  will  have  the  future 
church.     As  our  people  become  educated,  they  will  seek  the 


252  History  of  the  First 


educated  pulpit.  Atheism,  skepticism  and  Catholicism,  all  make 
it  more  important  to  have  an  educated  minister. 

BOOKS. 

^The  educated  mind  is  always  in  search  of  truth.  Always 
thirsting  for  more  knowledge.  Always  exclaiming,  "Givenie 
understanding,  for  education  is  the  only  means  of  ascertaining 
that  all  men  are  fools."  One  book  read  again  and  again  may 
lose  its  nutriment  and  become  dry.  We  need  good  libraries 
containing  books  upon  such  subjects  as  we  are  compelled  some- 
times to  handle.  Each  minister  ought  to  have  such  a  library. 
If  he  alone  cannot  buy  it,  those  in  his  community  ought  to  raise 
a  fund  and  secure  it  for  him.  The  American  Baptist  Publica- 
tion Society  has  done  much  to  aid  the  poor  colored  ministers  in 
securing  books.  Many  hundreds  of  dollars  have  been  given  to 
Georgia  in  this  way. 

MONEY. 

The  minister  is  the  greatest  officer  under  heaven.  His  call- 
ing is  of  God.  No  position  should  be  so  respected  as  his,  for  it 
is  written,  "How  beautiful  upon  the  mountains  are  the  feet  of 
him  that  bringeth  tidings  of  good,  that  publish eth  salvation  and 
saith  uuto  Zion,  thy  God  reigneth." — Is.  lii,  7. 

Notwithstanding  the  dignity  of  the  minister,  the  immensity 
of  his  work  and  the  indespensible  need  of  performing  this  task, 
he  is  the  most  poorly  paid  officer  under  heaven.  The  common 
idea  among  men  is  that  the  minister  must  necessarily  be  poor. 
The  lawyer  charges  his  fee  and  it  is  paid.  The  physician  makes 
out  his  bill,  presents  it,  and  it  is  paid,  but  the  poor  minister, 
who  is  the  spiritual  counselor  and  soul's  physician,  must  allow 
some  one  else  to  make  out  his  bill,  which  is  paid  or  neglected. 

The  colored  ministry  is  suffering  for  want  of  means  to-daj7, 
and  especially  the  Baptists.  He  is  poorly  promised  and  poorly 
paid.  He  is  not  promised  much  and  not  paid  what  he  is  prom- 
ised. Many  people  think  that  the  minister  ought  to  suffer ;  that 
his  wife  ought  to  go  half-dressed ;  that  he  ought  to  be  equal  or 
below  them  in  the  financial  situation  in  life.  The  very  class 
who  holds  so  tenaciously  to  these  base  ideas,  are  those  when 
they  see  the  minister  in  good  circumstances,  if  erecting  a  dwell- 
ing, or  accumulating  property,  however  great  was  the  sacrifice 
made  to  do  this,  will  deny  him  their  support  and  will  implore 
others  to  do  likewise.  Hence  we  learn  the  rule  to  do  well  is 
to  suffer,  to  have  money  is  to  lose  friends,  honor  and  salary. 
If  the  minister  is  expected  to  feed  his  flock  with  spiritual  food 
then  they  must  furnish  means  for  him  to  support  his  family. 


African  Baptist   Church.  253 

It  is  said  in  the  scripture  that  he  who  will  not  provide  for  his 
house  is  worse  than  an  infidel.  Oftentimes  the  minister  can  not 
preach  because  he  is  confused  about  his  temporal  affairs.  This 
spirit  among  our  people  is  very  damaging  to  ministerial  success. 
The  servant  is  worthy  of  his  hire. 

THE    RELATION    OF    THE    WHITE    AND    COLORED 

BAPTISTS. 

BY  REV.  T.  J.  HORNSBY,  OF  AUGUSTA,  GA. 

Mr.  Chairman,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  of  the  Great  Centennial  of 
the  Colored  Baptists  of  Georgia: 

Among  others  I  have  been  appointed  to  address  you  at  some 
hour  upon  the  "Relation  of  the  Colored  and  White  Baptists  of 
Georgia,  As  It  Was  in  the  Past,  Is  Now,  and  As  It  Should 
Be  in  the  Future."  According  to  the  assignment  of  my  name,  I 
find  it  my  duty  to  speak  mainly  of  the  relation  as  it  was  in  the 
past,  or  the  days  that  preceded  emancipation.  The  white  Bap- 
tists embraced,  believed  and  preached  the  same  doctrine  that 
they  embrace,  believe  and  preach  to-day,  contending  most 
sternly  for  a  converted  membership  and  the  solemn  immersion 
in  water  of  the  professed  believer  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
Son  and  Holy  Ghost  by  a  properly  authorized  administrator. 
The  colored  Baptists  embraced,  believed  and  preached  the  same, 
yea,  the  very  same. 

One  might  suppose  from  the  non  or  faint  association  of  the 
white  and  colored  Baptists  in  ante  bellum  days,  that  there  was 
no  relation  existing  between  them,  but  when  we  examine  the 
basis  of  their  hope  in  Christ  and  ferret  out  the  principle  of  each, 
we  find  them  the  sons  of  the  same  Father,  operated  upon  by  the 
same  Spirit,  redeemed  by  the  same  Saviour,  therefore  they  must 
have  been  brethren.  The  white  Baptists  believed  and  preached 
the  very  same  doctrine  that  the  apostles  believed  and  preached, 
and  the  "brother  in  black"  believed  the  same.  Hence,  before 
God  they  were  brethren,  and,  as  the  apostle  says,  there  was  no 
difference.  If  the  brother  in  white  was  drawn  to  God  by  the 
influence  of  the  gospel,  and  by  accepting  Christ  as  the  Redeemer, 
was  adopted  into  His  family,  and  thereby  became  sons  of  God, 
the  brother  in  black  was  likewise  drawn  and  adopted,  placed 
in  the  same  category,  with  the  same  identical  relationship  to 
God. 

On  account  of  condition  or  circumstances  one  may  ignore  a 
brother  by  actions,  and  refuse  to  accord  to  him  a  brother's 
recognition,  but  it  does  not  destroy  the  relationship.     In  the 


25 If.  History  of  the  First 


by-gone  days  the  Baptist  church  was  entered  by  white  people 
by  repentance,  regeneration  and  baptism  by  a  properly  author- 
ized administrator.  The  colored  people  did  the  same,  or  en- 
tered the  church  the  same  way.  I  assure  you,  that  with  your 
humble  servant  there  is  nothing  pleasant  in  recalling  the  past, 
fraught  with  such  indifference  as  may  appear  in  discussing  this 
subject,  but  history  says  that  we  are  now  100  years  old,  and  the 
world  presumes  that  when  one  has  lived  so  long,  when  he  talks 
the  truth  should  be  told.  So,  if  in  this  discussion  you  should 
get  a  glimpse  of  anything  dark  and  unworthy  of  a  Baptist,  you 
will  pardon  your  servant,  as  this  is  the  first  hundred  years  he 
has  seen. 

In  most  of  the  white  churches  there  was  a  colored  element 
attached,  who  had  sought  the  same  Saviour  under  trying  circum- 
stances. They  came  with  fear  and  trembling  and  related  their 
experience,  and  if  it  met  the  approbation  of  their  owners,  who 
sometimes  were  Baptists  and  sometimes  strangers  to  my  God, 
they  were  given  a  pass  and  allowed  to  unite  with  the  church,  and 
thank  God,  sometimes  indorsing  him  or  her  as  a  good,  obedient 
"nigger."  Before  the  church  they  professed  Christ ;  in  the  sight 
of  the  people  they  were  buried  in  baptism,  which  made  us  breth- 
ren, and  the  white  Baptists  knew  it,  and  they  also  knew  that 
we  as  a  mass  didn't  know  it.  So  the  time  of  our  ignorance 
God  may  have  winked  at,  but  it  left  us  brethren  still,  and  sons 
of  the  same  God. 

If  I  may  speak  of  individual  treatment  of  this  fraternity,  the 
negro  Baptists  were  quite  as  kind  and  polite  as  the  white 
brother,  for  in  the  week  the  white  Baptists  called  him  Pete, 
Hamp  and  Bill,  but  sometimes  on  Sunday  they  would  say  Peter, 
Hampton  and  William,  while  this  negro  Baptist,  in  his  presence, 
would  invariably  use  the  same  title,  "  Master,"  (behind  his 
back  something  else,  of  course).     Neither  was  perfect. 

Where  the  colored  people  existed,  their  converts  were  bap- 
tized by  the  pastor  in  charge,  who  was  (of  course)  the  white 
Baptist.  When  he  had  gotten  through  dipping  the  white  con- 
verts, in  walked  the  colored  proselyte  and  was  buried  in  the 
same  water;  yea,  sometimes  in  the  same  spot. 

They  worshipped  in  the  same  church  edifice,  occupying  the 
seats  in  the  rear.  They  sang  the  same  songs  the  white  Baptist 
sung,  listened  to  the  same  sermon,  joining  in  the  service  of 
song;  but,  I  tell  you,  in  this  capacity  they  were  not  near  so 
noisy  as  in  these  latter  days. 

After  the  white  Baptist  had  been  served  with  bread  and 
wine,  it  was  taken  to  the  brother  in  color.  Though  a  little  late, 
it  was  the  same  supper  prayed  over  by  the  same  pastor. 


African  Baptist   Church. 


Sometimes  in  the  summer,  when  the  days  were  long,  the 
pastor  would  preach  especially  for  them  on  Sunday  afternoon, 
allowiug  them  to  advance  nearer  the  front,  and,  if  time  allowed, 
they  were  permitted  to  offer  public  prayer,  and  this  to  our  an- 
cestors was  a  jubilee,  to  know  that  sometimes  they  could  call 
on  their  God  at  church. 

The  pastor  would  preach  to  them  earnestly  and  faithfully, 
and  at  times  growing  truly  eloquent  in  his  discourse,  and, 
among  many  other  good  things,  he  would  not  forget  to  exhort 
them  to  obey  their  masters,  to  be  honest  and  industrious,  for 
this  is  your  reasonable  service.  And,  I  tell  you,  the  doctrine 
to  the  brother  in  color  was  both  appropriate  and  timely. 

When  services  closed  they  were  quietly  dismissed,  and  they 
hurried  home  on  foot  to  take  their  brother's  horse  and  bring 
him  cool  water  to  drink;  but  I  can't  say  in  the  name  of  Christ. 
O !  yes,  the  colored  brother  was  ready  and  willing,  when  duty 
came,  to  brave  it  like  a  man.  If  allowed  to  pray,  he  would 
arouse  you  with  his  pleadings;  if  called  upon  to  preach,  he 
would  astonish  you  in  doctrine,  and  if  let  loose  to  sing,  he 
would  charm  his  more  favored  brother  until  tears  fell  from  his 
eyes.  In  other  parts  of  the  rural  districts,  where  the  popula- 
tion of  the  colored  people  would  warrant,  they  were  permitted 
to  have  a  house  of  their  own.  They  gladly  siezed  the  oppor- 
tunity, felling  the  trees  and  hewing  the  timbers  by  night, 
singing : 

"  Must  I  be  carried  to  the  skies 
On  flowery  beds  of  ease, 
While  others  fought  to  win  the  prize, 
And  sailed  through  bloody  seas  ?" 

They  were  in  these  houses  of  worship  preached  to  mainly  by 
white  pastors,  but  sometimes  by  a  minister  of  their  own  color, 
such  as  Rev.  Joseph  Walker  (deceased),  Revs.  Nathan  Walker, 
Stepney  Martin,  Lewis  B.  Carter,  E.  C.  Crumby,  Father  Bealle 
and  some  others.  When  this  liberty  was  used  they  were  over- 
seed  by  a  white  man,  perhaps  a  white  Baptist. 

This  intimidated  him,  but  being  zealous  of  good  works  he 
prayed  on.  In  this  city,  Macon,  Atlanta  and  Augusta,  they 
had  hours  of  worship  apart  from  the  white  Baptists,  whose  pul- 
pits were  ably  filled  by  such  pioneers  as  Andrew  Bryan,  Andrew 
Marshall,  Campbell,  Tillinghast,  Frank  Quarles,  Peter  Johnson, 
Henry  Watts  and  Henry  Johnson.  These  men  stood  in  doc- 
trine shoulder  to  shoulder  with  the  white  brother,  holding  up 
the  gospel  banner,  crying,  "  One  Lord,  one  faith,  and  one  bap- 
tism." 

Their  churches  with  them  contended  earnestly  for  the  faith 
once  delivered  to  the  saints.     They  required  a  converted  mem- 


256  History  of  the  First 


bership  like  their  brother;  baptized  like  him,  but  quicker;  sang 
like  him,  but  louder;  prayed  like  him,  but  in  more  haste; 
preached  like  him,  but  under  greater  embarrassments,  for  they 
feared  God,  their  masters  and  the  devil. 

There  were  among  the  white  Baptist  family  good  men  who 
helped  the  brother  in  black,  such  as  Rev.  J.  H.  T.  Kilpatrick, 
Sr.,  deceased,  the  lamented  son  of  Mercer,  Rev.  W.  H.  Davis, 
Rev.  E.  R.  Carswell,  Sr.,  and  Rev.  W.  L.  Kilpatrick.  I  say 
they  have  rendered  valuable  service  in  due  time. 

Our  brothers'  situation  and  circumstances  were  better  than 
ours,  as  they  possessed  capital,  culture  and  land,  while  we  had 
neither.  But  bless  God,  the  same  being  was  our  Father  and  the 
same  heaven  our  home.  0  yes,  in  the  same  length  of  time, 
with  the  same  means,  we  can  do  all  that  our  brother  has  done, 
except  it  be  to  persecute  and  ignore  a  brother  and  think  that 
we  are  doing  God's  service. 

See  we  stand  here  to-day  frank  enough  to  acknowledge  our 
brother's  intellectual  superiority,  humble  enough  to  confess  his 
financial  gain  over  us,  yet  bold  enough  to  say  that  we  are 
equals  before  God  and  one  in  His  church — one  common  family 
of  the  living  God,  to  His  commands  let  us  bow.  Part  of  this 
host  have  crossed  the  flood  and  we  are  crossing. 

Oh,  astonishing  oneness,  in  which  I  see  the  Father  in  His 
manifold  wisdom,  Jesus  in  love  that  passeth  all  understanding, 
the  Spirit  in  grace,  which  defies  all  the  power  of  earth  and  hell 
to  make  void  the  place  occupied  by  the  colored  Baptists  of 
Georgia,  or  resist  the  influence  which  is  being  so  powerfully 
exerted  by  this  grand  old  army. 

We  are  sorry  to  say  that  while  we  have  been  brethren  for 
the  last  century,  the  world  hasn't  been  able  to  discern  that 
brotherly  affection  which  characterizes  brethren.  Apart  from 
selfishness,  bias,  prejudice,  animosity,  with  hatred  toward  none, 
but  charity  for  all,  let  us  grasp  our  brother  by  the  hand  and 
say  to  him :  "You  are  bone  of  our  bone  and  flesh  of  our  flesh  ; 
you  are  our  brethren.  We  saw  your  track  an  hundred  years 
ago,  but  you  had  ascended  the  hill  of  intelligence  and  the  ladder 
of  fame.  Ever  since  Andrew  Bryan  espied  you  we  have  been 
trying  on  your  clothes,  and  they  have  fitted  many  of  our  rank, 
and  they  appear  perfectly  graceful  in  them.  A  hat  like  that 
one  you  sometimes  wear  has  been  put  on  the  head  of  Rev.  E.  K. 
Love,  and  we  can  justly  hail  him  D.  D.,  so  that  in  earnest,  in 
faith  and  in  love  we  offer  you  our  hand.  Oh,  brethren,  for  100 
years  we  have  been  trying  to  catch  you.  We  really  thought 
sometimes  that  you  were  running  from  us  instead  of  running 
toward  us.     However,  while  we  were  perplexed,  we  kept  our 


African  Baptist   Church.  257 

hope.  Though  distressed  we  have  not  despaired.  We  swam 
rivers,  ploughed  valleys,  scaled  very  high  mountains.  We  sang 
the  songs  of  the  Lord ;  we  prayed,  we  preached,  we  cried,  we 
fought  the  devil,  we  called  for  help,  we  have  been  bruised  sol- 
diers fallen  on  the  field;  the  enemy  tried  hard  to  cut  off  our 
communication,  but  thank  God,  we  are  by  your  side  at  the  age 
of  an  hundred  years.  You  were  our  brethren  in  ante  helium 
times,  you  are  our  brethren  now,  and  you  will  be  our  brethren 
to-morrow.  Where  you  five  we  will  live,  where  you  die  we 
will  die,  and  by  your  graves  will  we  be  buried ;  and  when  the 
records  of  our  earthly  career  shall  have  utterly  perished,  our 
work  shall  fill  heaven  with  its  wonders  and  eternity  in  praise 
to  God." 

Let  the  spirit  of  God  shine  until  the  world  shall  see  no  dif- 
ference ;  shine  until  this  knotty  question  shall  no  longer  be  dis- 
cussed. Shine,  spirit ;  shine  until  this  Baptist  influence  shall 
not  only  be  felt  in  Georgia,  but  all  over  God's  universe.  Shine, 
great  spirit ;  shine  until  the  white  and  colored  Baptists  of  Geor- 
gia, locked  arm  in  arm,  shall  tread  all  the  powers  of  darkness 
down  and  win  the  well  fought  day. 

Oh,  God,  let  thy  spirit  shine  until  this  great  united  army 
shall  be  saved  in  heaven  with  Thee,  and  be  permitted  to  lift 
the  glowing  strains  : 

"  Praise  God  from  Whom  all  blessings  flow, 
Praise  him,  ye  creatures  from  below ; 
Praise  Him  with  us,  angelic  host, 
Praise  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost." 


THE     RELATION    OF    THE    WHITE    AND     COLORED 

BAPTISTS  IN  THE  PAST,  NOW,  AND  AS  IT 

SHOULD  BE  IN  THE  FUTURE. 

BY  REV.  G.  S.  JOHNSON,  THOMSON,  GA. 

To  this  General  Baptist  Family: 

Dear  Brethren. — What  does  all  this  mean  ?  From  whence 
cometh  this  people  that  compose  this  choir,  which  renders  the 
sweet  music  which  fills  our  hearts  with  praises  and  gratitude  to 
God?  Is  it  possible  that  this  despised  race  has  come  to  this? 
Is  the  oppressed  just  freed,  and  have  made  this  wonderful 
progress  ?  My  thoughts  have  taken  a  retrospective  view  of  the 
past,  and  have  traversed  Bethlehem's  plain,  where  God's  Son 
was  born,  and  when  that  angelic  choir  sang  in  the  air  the 


258  History  of  the  First 


sweetest  music  earth  ever  heard — "Glory  to  God  in  the  highest, 
and  on  earth  peace  and  good  will  toward  men."  We  are  but 
out  upon  the  plains;  we  have  just  caught  the  ball  that  our 
fathers  started  to  rolling  an  hundred  years  ago.  Though  they 
were  illiterate,  they  preached  the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God  as 
best  they  could.  They  understood  clearly  this  "truth:  "One 
Lord,  one  faith,  and  one  baptism;"  and,  bless  God,  in  one 
hundred  years  we  have  caught  the  sweet  old  story. 

All  nationalities  have  days  to  celebrate  in  honor  of  some 
historical  event.  The  negro  Baptists  of  Georgia  were  organ- 
ized into  a  church  in  this  grand  old  Forest  City  one  hundred 
years  ago,  and  we  have  come  from  the  mountains  and  from  the 
valleys  to  celebrate  it  with  thanksgiving. to  God  for  keeping  an 
oppressed  people,  and  enabling  them  to  "contend  so  earnestly 
for  the  faith  that  was  once  delivered  to  the  saints."  I  feel 
highly  honored  to  be  thought  worthy  to  take  part  in  such  a 
grand  affair,  though  I  feel  my  inability  to  perform  the  task 
that  was  assigned  me.  While  I  attempt  to  discuss  this  topic — 
the  relationship  that  now  exists  between  the  white  and  negro 
Baptists — I  am  here  with  prejudice  toward  none,  but  brotherly 
love  for  all. 

Israel  of  old  was  persecuted  and  ostracized,  but  the  God  who 
has  always  fought  the  battles  of  His  chosen,  and  caused  them 
to  be  victorious  over  all  their  oppositions,  was  with  them.  Our 
God  fought  our  battles  through  the  darkest  days  of  slavery. 
We  are  not  the  only  people  who  have  undergone  religious  per- 
secution. As  far  back  as  1535,  when  the  Roman  church 
attempted  to  persecute  the  Huguenots,  the  priests  obtained  the 
"royal  edict"  from  the  King  to  totally  suppress  the  printing  of 
the  Bible.  Their  effort  to  turn  the  world  back  failed  then,  and 
will  fail  now.  Furthermore,  I  would  not  attempt  to  discuss 
the  subject  of  social  equality.  No,  not  I.  I  am  only  here  to 
speak  for  an  oppressed  people,  and  of  our  religious  affiliation. 
We  are  brethren  of  the  same  family. 

There  is  one  thing  you'll  not  find  among  the  negro  Baptists 
that  is  found  among  the  white  Baptists.  Among  the  negroes 
there  are  very  few  Free  Will  Baptists  and  open  communionists. 
They  believe  that  the  Lord  Jesus  instituted  the  supper  for  none 
but  converted  and  legally  baptized  disciples,  that  is,  by  immer- 
sion, and  this  baptism  must  be  performed  by  the  proper  admin- 
istrator— one  who  has  been  legally  baptized  according  to  the 
faith  of  the  gospel.  Have  you  not  seen,  in  all  of  your  life,  in 
a  family,  two  brothers,  one  blessed  with  this  world's  goods,  and 
the  other  seemed  as  if  fate  was  against  him"?  And  on  account 
of  popular  sentiment  that  brother  who  was  blessed  with  this 


African  Baptist   Church.  259 

world's  goods  scorned  the  brother  who  was  not  blessed  with  the 
same,  but  through  whose  veins  ran  the  same  blood,  for  he  was 
the  son  of  the  same  father  and  mother.  Yet  he  could  not  resist 
popular  sentiment,  and  had  to  treat  him  as  though  he  were  not. 
And  when  he  had  company,  instead  of  his  unfortunate  brother 
feeling  welcome  to  come  in  at  the  front  gate  was  forced  to  go 
in  at  the  back  gate.  Instead  of  being  permitted  to  enter  the 
house  to  engage  with  the  guests  upon  the  subjects  under  con- 
sideration, was  debarred  from  these  privileges. 

Our  white  Baptist  brethren  do  not  deny  our  relation  through 
the  blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  popular  sentiment  is  so 
much  against  social  equality  that  our  brethren  are  afraid  to 
allow  us  religious  affiliation  for  fear  that  it  might  be  termed 
social  equality.  Yet  they  do  recognize  us  as  brethren,  for  we 
are  one  in  doctrine  and  church  ordinances.  Not  that  I  don't 
believe  that  our  white  Baptist  brethren  are  interested  in  us ;  far 
be  that  from  me ;  for  they  have  shown  their  interest  by  the  ap- 
pointment of  Rev.  Dr.  Mcintosh  to  labor  among  the  ministers 
and  deacons  of  our  churches,  and  his  work  has  redounded  to 
the  glory  of  God  and  to  the  uplifting  of  our  people,  for  which  I 
say,  " Bless  God." 

In  their  cooperation  with  our  Conventional  Board  at  the  last 
session  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  held  in  Baltimore, 
Md.,  a  resolution  was  passed  looking  to  the  establishment  of  a 
better  feeling  between  the  white  and  negro  Baptists  of  the 
South,  for  which  we  are  grateful.  But  take  us  in  our  religious 
assemblies,  such  as  our  conventions  and  associations,  where  fra- 
ternal delegates  or  corresponding  messengers  are  sent.  When 
they  send  them  to  our  bodies  we  receive  them  gladly  and  accord 
them  brotherly  affiliation;  but  when  we  visit  their  bodies  in 
like  capacity,  instead  of  being  treated  as  brethren  our  names 
are  received  and  we  are  given  back  seats  as  usual.  Dear 
brethren,  I  say  this  not  in  a  harsh  mood,  but  my  authority  for 
entertaining  this  as  a  breach  of  our  relation  as  the  great  Bap- 
tist family  of  this  grand  old  Empire  State  of  the  South  is  from 
the  great  head  of  this  family. 

St.  John,  xv.,  12-17 :  ''  This  is  my  commandment,  that  ye  love 
one  another,  as  I  have  loved  you.  Greater  love  hath  no  man 
than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends.  Ye  are 
my  friends,  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  command  you.  Henceforth 
I  call  you  not  servants ;  for  the  servant  knoweth  not  what  his 
lord  doeth :  but  I  have  called  you  friends ;  for  all  things  that 
I  have  heard  of  my  Father  I  have  made  known  unto  you.  Ye 
have  not  chosen  me,  but  I  have  chosen  you,  and  ordained  you, 
that  ye  should  go  and  bring  forth  fruit,  and  that  your  fruit 


260  History  of  the  First 


should  remain :  and  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  of  the  Father  in 
my  name,  He  may  give  it  you.  These  things  I  command  you, 
that  ye  love  one  another." 

This  is  my  authority.  I  am  sure  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
hath  given  this  world  into  the  hands  of  his  recognized  church. 
I  believe  He  hath  divided  it  off  geographically,  and  commis- 
sioned his  church,  irrespective  of  color,  to  take  the  part  allotted 
them — the  north  her  part,  the  east  her  part,  the  south  her 
part  and  the  west  her  part ;  and  this  Baptist  banner  must  wave 
over  this  world,  as  the  star-spangled  banner  waveth  over  these 
United  States.  But  we  cannot  conquer,  and  carry  this  world 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  while  we  allow  these  little  petty  dif- 
ferences to  separate  us.  (Tn  union  there  is  strength."  In 
armies  the  generals  should  be  in  union,  and  should  meet  and 
consult  with  each  other  as  to  the  best  way  of  attacking  their 
enemies.  The  Lord  Jesus  has  committed  His  church  into  the 
hands  of  the  ministry,  and  they  must  watch  for  souls,  as  to  the 
Master  they  must  give  account. 

Now  as  to  the  white  and  colored  pastors :  Do  we  meet  in 
council,  and  advise  one  another  relative  to  the  work  of  the 
Master,  or  do  we  stand  aloof  from  each  other?  Do  we  grasp 
each  other  by  the  hands  as  servants  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
or  do  we  pass  each  other  as  mere  strangers?  In  large  cities, 
to  some  extent  they  meet  their  brethren  in  council,  when  called 
on,  and  if  not  in  company,  on  the  streets  they  will  speak;  but 
in  most  of  the  smaller  towns,  where  prejudice  runs  higher,  they 
pass  you  by  as  a  mere  stranger.  I  have  lived  in  towns  in  this 
State  where  a  white  pastor  who  had  negro  members  in  his 
church  passed  them  by  as  mere  strangers.  But  I  must  speak 
of  a  model  pastor,  Rev.  J.  H.  Kilpatrick,  D.  D.,  pastor  of  White 
Plains  Baptist  Church,  who  would  not  pass  his  brethren  by 
without  a  word  of  advice  and  brotherly  greeting.  Rev.  Mr. 
Eden  and  a  few  others  have  the  same  christian  spirit. 

The  success  of  our  cause  depends  largely  upon  the  generals ; 
therefore  there  should  be  perfect  love  in  our  ranks,  as  we  are 
commanders-in-chief,  for  love  among  the  generals  will  create 
love  among  the  soldiers.  I  now  close  by  reading  you  the  fol- 
lowing poem,  composed  by  Mr.  P.  R.  Butler,  of  Augusta,  Ga.: 

UNION. 

"Let  us,  brethren,  live  together 
In  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord; 
Let  there  be  no  strife  anion g  us; 
Let  us  rest  upon  His  word. 

"Let  us  battle  for  Christ's  kingdom, 
Battle  'gainst  the  powers  of  hell ; 
Let  us  follow  in  His  footsteps ; 
Let  us  fight  the  Infidel. 


African  Baptist   Church.  261 


'Let  us  not  stand  idly  waiting, 

Grasping  ostracism's  hand; 
Let  us  clasp  our  hands  in  union ; 

On  the  solid  rock  let's  stand. 

'Christ  has  no  respect  of  color, 
Therefore,  let  us  stand  for  God; 

Let  us  follow  in  the  footsteps 
That  our  Master's  feet  have  trod. 

'Let  us  fight  for  lovely  Zion  ; 

Christ,  our  Lord,  is  looking  down. 
Let  us  stand,  and  fight,  and  conquer, 

For  the  world  in  sin  is  drown'd. 

'Enemies  attempt  to  bribe  us, 

Let  us  fight  until  we  die; 
Let  affection  dwell  among  us ; 

Angels  watch  us  from,  the  sky. 

'We  are  one  in  Christ,  our  Master, 

Then  united  let  us  stand ; 
We're  the  people  of  His  pasture ; 

Holy  angels  'round  us  stand. 

'Friendship,  love  and  truth  let's  cherish, 
Till  the  evening  shadows  fall; 

If  we  are  His  true  disciples, 
Let  us  hearken  to  His  call. 

'Let  us,  on  this  field  of  battle, 

Stand  for  God  till  time  shall  end; 

Let's  tear  down  the  thrones  of  darkness 
For  our  King,  our  dying  lriend. 

'Let  us  rally  for  the  Bible ; 

Let  the  Uhurch  of  God  hold  sway ; 
Let  us  stand  for  Christ  and  Jordan, 

Till  that  awful  Judgment  Day. 


THE    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    PUBLICATION    SOCIETY 
AND  ITS  WORK  FOR  THE  COLORED  PEOPLE. 

BY  REV.  E;  K.  LOVE,  D.  D. 

There  have  arisen  in  the  North  many  societies  looking  to  the 
amelioration  of  the  condition  of  the  negroes  in  the  South,  the 
abolitionists  and  other  kindred  associations.  The}7  have  done 
a  good  work,  for  which  we  are  profoundly  grateful ;  but  that 
society  which  endeavored  to  give  us  the  word  of  God  and 
thereby  educate  our  morals,  sweeten  our  character,  and  lift  up 
our  people  to  heaven  and  God  must  be  greater  than  them  all. 

Among  the  institutions  that  have  done  most  for  us  in  this 
line  is  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society.  He  who  pro- 
tects my  manhood  commands  my  respect  and  admiration ;  he 
who   ameliorates   my  condition  should  have  my  support;  he 


162  History  of  the  First 


who  refines  my  manners  and  trains  my  thinking  faculties  makes 
me  a  better  citizen ;  he  who  educates  me  arms  me  for  future 
usefulness  to  mankind,  adds  new  charms  to  civilization, 
and  lends  science  a  welcome  student  and  advocate;  he  who 
gives  me  money  adds  to  my  comforts ;  he  who  gives  me  water 
slakes  my  thirst ;  he  who  gives  me  a  home  shelters  my  body ; 
he  who  gives  me  raiment  protects  my  body,  but  he  who  gives 
me  the  Bible  puts  eternal  life  in  my  reach.  He  brings  God 
nearer  to  me,  he  draws  me  nearer  to  God.  He  protects  and 
defends  my  soul.  He  gives  me  the  bread  of  life,  of  which  if  a 
man  eats  he  shall  never  hunger.  He  gives  me  the  water  of  life, 
which  shall  be  in  me  a  well  of  water  springing  up  unto  ever- 
lasting life.  He  gives  me  that  which  shall  build  me  up  and 
which  forms  the  basis  of  true  character  and  manhood.  Any 
structure  which  is  not  built  upon  the  word  of  God  will  crumble 
and  fall  and  be  forgotten. 

The  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  has  been  for  many 
years  scattering  broadcast  over  this  land  the  word  of  God.  Just 
what  we  would  have  done  but  for  the  American  Baptist  Publi- 
cation Society  we  do  not  know,  except  that  God  would  have  in 
some  way  provided  Himself  a  way  of  communicating  His  truth 
to  fallen  mankind.  But  since  He  has  seen  fit  to  use  the  Ameri- 
can Baptist  Publication  Society  as  a  mighty  instrument  in  flood- 
ing the  country  with  a  knowledge  of  Jesus  in  many  tracts  and 
the  Bible,  pure  and  simple,  let  us  support  the  society  by  patron- 
izing it  in  the  purchase  of  all  of  our  religious  literature  and 
bless  God  for  its  existence.  It  is  our  society.  We  have  never 
been  ashamed  to  beg  it,  and  the  society  has  never  been  above 
helping  us. 

Many  of  our  preachers  have  received  libraries  from  this 
society,  and  hence  the  society  has  preached  the  gospel  very 
effectually  in  Georgia  through  them.  The  more  we  support 
this  society  the  stronger  it  will  grow,  and  therefore  be  the  bet- 
ter prepared  to  preach  the  gospel  in  Georgia,  and  doubtless 
will  preach  more  effectually  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  Son  of 
God  in  Georgia.  The  society  has  been  scattering  seeds  of  kind- 
ness for  many  years,  and  we  must  leave  the  grand  story  for 
eternity  to  tell  of  its  pleasing,  munificent  and  glorious  harvest. 
Thank  God,  that  this  society  did  not  forget  the  negroes  while 
it  was  scattering  blessings  all  around.  The  work  of  the  society 
has  been  of  incalculable  good  to  the  negroes,  and  should,  as  it 
does,  form  a  very  important  part  in  our  history. 

I  look  forward  with  pleasing  anticipation  to  the  day  when, 
in  our  Southland,  the  Publication  Society  will  have  a  branch 
house  in  all  of  the  large  Southern  cities,  managed  by  competent, 


African  Baptist  Church.  263 

honest  and  faithful  negroes.  This  state  of  things  will  not  come 
in  the  natural  order  of  things.  It  is  too  pure  a  gem  to  be  found 
lying  promiscuously  around  on  the  ground.  It  must  be  dug 
up,  for  it  is  deep  down,  locked  in  the  womb  of  the  future.  I 
confess  that  we  have  not  deserved  this  recognition  yet,  but  as 
we  are  the  children  of  the  future,  it  is  not,  in  my  opinion, 
raising  the  standard  too  high  to  aim  at  it.  I  oppose  unmerited 
recognition  in  church  or  state.  I  think  it  is  injurious  to  the 
recipients  and  unwise  in  the  bestower.  We  can  merit  it,  and 
whatever  we  merit  we  can  demand.  We  need  a  wiser  organi- 
zation and  concentration  of  our  forces.  We  need  more  system 
in  giving.  We  must  urge  a  constant  giving.  The  work  of  the 
Lord  is  a  life-time  business,  and  however  much  a  person  may 
do  to-day  there  is  something  for  him  to  do  to-morrow,  except 
he  dies.  We  must  cure  our  people  of  a  spasmodic  giving.  The 
christian's  work  is  no  more  spasmodic  than  his  life  is.  No 
people  have  gone  to  success  in  a  day.  JSTo  person  can  enjoy 
what  is  given  as  he  can  that  which  is  earned. 

We  ought  to  set  apart  a  day,  at  least  once  a  year,  to  take  a 
collection  in  all  of  our  churches  for  the  Publication  Society. 
When  our  patronage  to  the  society  and  our  wisdom-  to  manage 
affairs  shall  be  fully  attested,  I  doubt  not  the  inevitable  conclu- 
sion that  the  recognition  about  which  I  have  spoken  will  follow, 
as  the  irresistible  fruit  of  well-doing.  The  churches  should  be 
very  careful  about  the  character  of  literature  that  is  used  in 
their  Sunday  schools.  The  society  is  endeavoring  to  put  the 
gospel  in  reach  of  the  children,  to  do  which  it  has  employed 
missionaries  in  almost  every  State  to  do  Sunday  school  work. 
The  work  done  among  children  in  the  Sunday  school  promises  to 
yield  the  richest  harvest.  Those  who  reach  the  children  with 
the  gospel  reach  and  bless  the  nation  at  home.  The  society  is 
doing  this,  and  hence  is  reaching  the  children  at  home  early  in 
the  morning  before  they  go  out  to  play,  and  to  prepare  them 
for  bruises,  temptations  and  duties  of  the  day.  This  is  almost 
saving  the  nation  in  the  cradle.  The  man  who  is  leading  this 
great  society  is  the  Rev.  Dr.  Griffith,  whom  I  now,  with  un- 
feigned pleasure,  present  you  as  the  speaker  of  this  hour.  May 
God  bless  you,  my  brother,  and  the  great  society  he  has  called 
you  to  lead.  May  your  fruit  abound  unto  holiness,  and  the 
end  an  everlasting  life,  and  when  on  earth  our  work  is  done, 
may  we  be  gathered  home  to  the  saints'  rest,  where  the  sower 
and  the  reaper  shall  rejoice  together.  Then  shall  you  and  the 
faithful  host  you  have  and  are  leading  never  regret  your  labors 
in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord.  "For  I  reckon  that  the  suffer- 
ings of  this  present  time  are  not  worthy  to  be  compared  with 


264  History  oj  the  First 


the  glory  which  shall  be  revealed  in  us.  For  the  earnest 
expectation  of  the  creature  waiteth  for  the  manifestation  of 
the  sons  of  God."     God  bless  your  labor,  for  Jesus'  sake. 


THE    AMERICAN    BAPTIST  PUBLICATION    SOCIETY 
AND  ITS  WORK  FOR  THE  COLORED  PEOPLE. 

BY  REV.  N.  W.  WATERMAN,  OF  THOMASVILLE. 

Brother  Chairman  and  Brethren  of  the  State  Baptist  Centennial 
Committee  of  Georgia  and  Friends: 
It  becomes  my  duty  this  morning  to  address  you  upon  the 
subject,  "The  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  and  its 
Work  for  the  Colored  People."  This  institution  is  the  offspring, 
or  grew  out  of  the  Tract  Society,  established  in  1824,  as  the 
result  of  the  mature  consideration  of  earnest  and  faithful-hearted 
men  and  women,  of  what  was  then  regarded  as  the  great  need 
of  the  Baptists."  For  the  establishment  of  the  Tract  Society  a 
meeting  was  called.  Only  eighteen  men  and  seven  women  re- 
sponded ;  and  there,  in  that  meeting,  after  prayerful  delibera- 
tion, the  Baptist  General  Tract  Society,  now  the  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society,  was  formed.  Perhaps  those  noble- 
hearted  pioneers  had  no  greater  object  in  view  than  the  issuing 
of  tracts  for  the  special  benefit  of  the  unsaved,  and  to  unify  the 
Baptist  family  the  land  over.  But  God,  in  whose  name  the 
work  was  begun,  granted  His  benediction  upon  the  feeble 
undertaking,  so  that  this  and  still  other  objects  have  been 
successfully  prosecuted  by  it.  That  the  formation  of  this  insti- 
tution is  the  work  of  God  through  human  agencies  we  cannot 
have  the  least  hesitation,  if  its  history  is  to  be  considered.  Its 
existence,  seemingly,  is  proof  of  its  continuance,  though  in  the 
beginning  it  had  very  severe  trials.  At  times  its  dissolution 
seemed  sure  and  sudden,  because  of  financial  embarrassments. 
While  those  christian  brethren,  then  in  front  of  the  institution, 
saw  the  almost  inevitable  catastrophe  that  hung  just  over  this 
well-begun  work,  they  were  about  to  abandon  hope.  Doubtless 
they  prayed  to  God  for  help,  and  in  answer  to  their  prayers, 
from  some  unexpected  and  perhaps  unknown  sources  money 
was  sent  them  for  the  prosecution  of  their  work.  Then  there 
began  to  beam  a  ray  of  hope,  that  nerved  them  to  more  deter- 
mined efforts.  The  work  was  God's,  and  He  raised  up  friends 
everywhere  to  come  to  its  rescue,  till,  in  1840,  when  was  felt 
the  need  of  increasing  its  labors,  the  name  of  the  "Baptist  Gen- 
eral Tract  Society"  was  dropped,  and  the  society  began  to  exist 


African  Baptist   Church.  265 

under  the  nanie  of  the  "American  Baptist  Publication  Society," 
assuming,  at  the  same  time,  the  great  work  of  caring  for  the 
Sunday  schools  and  the  publication  of  books.  Under  that  name 
it  still  exists,  being  under  the  skillful  management  of  wise 
and  faithful  men,  led,  as  was  Israel  of  old,  by  a  pillar  of  cloud 
by  day  and  by  a  pillar  of  fire  by  night,  until  it  has  become  the 
pride  of  the  Baptist  denomination  in  America. 

The  organization  of  the  society  was  as  the  seed  sown  in  good 
ground :  it  sprung  up ;  though  surrounded  by  thorns  and  this- 
tles, it  grew ;  the  winds  blew  upon  it  and  shook  it,  but  its  roots 
clung  downwards  firmer  and  firmer  to  the  ground,  taking  hold 
on  rocks,  and  its  branches  reared  toward  heaven.  The  thorns, 
thistles  and  tempest  served  to  strengthen  it,  till  at  last  we  have 
an  institution — in  respect  of  its  growth,  its  success  in  furthering 
its  object,  and  the  good  accomplished  by  it — that  stands  peer 
to  any  institution  of  its  kind  anywhere.  It  unmistakably  meets 
the  great  exigencies  of  the  Baptist  denomination.  Its  books, 
tracts,  periodicals  and  papers  ought  to  be  found  in  every  home, 
Sunday  school  and  church  of  the  Baptist  family. 

Books  are  to  man  as  company.  How  manjT  characters 
trained  in  the  right  direction  have  been  switched  off  the  track 
by  associating  with  bad  company  ?  And  how  many  weak  Bap- 
tist parents  and  children  have  been  led  away  from  the  faith  of 
the  Baptists  by  studying  at  their  homes  and  Sunday  schools 
literature  other  than  Baptist?  To  check  this  tide  of  floating 
annoyance  we  must  place  into  the  hands  and  homes  of  our 
great  denomination'  literature  that  breathes  the  very  doc- 
trines and  sentiments  of  the  Baptists.  This  emergency  the 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society  meets.  Its  publications 
are  strictly  Baptistic,  and  tend  to  unify  the  Baptist  family  in 
doctrine  and  sentiment.  Its  accomplishment  in  this  direction 
cannot  be  reckoned.  Who  can  realize  the  good  that  results 
from  the  distribution  of  religious  tracts  and  the  thousands  of 
Bibles  given  away  by  this  institution  to  poor  individuals  and 
schools  annually.  By  these  means  thousands  of  souls  have 
been  converted,  and  have  become  faithful  and  conscientious 
members  of  the  Baptist  church.  An  exceeding  great  multitude 
of  immortal  souls  snatched  from  eternal  ruin,  stands  to  evince  the 
incalculable  worth  to  the  denomination.  Ministers  of  the  gos- 
pel and  Sabbath  school  workers  have  received  from  the  society 
gratuitously  many  very  valuable  books,  which  have  been  of 
great  worth  to  them  in  the  prosecution  of  their  work.  The 
Sunday  school  literature  published  by  the  society,  such  as  the 
international  series,  have  been  and  are  of  inestimable  worth  to 
the  denomination,  not  only  in  leading  the  young  to  Christ,  but 


266  History  of  the  First 


in  establishing  them  in  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible  and  instruct- 
ing the  old,  so  that  they  are  not  to  be  moved  by  every  wind  of 
doctrine. 

The  society  has  not  manifested  prejudice  in  its  methods  of 
work.  Its  labors  are  not  confined  to  the  American  soil,  nor  to 
white  Baptists,  nor  to  negro  Baptists.  Its  motto  has  been  "On- 
ward to  Conquest."  It  has  pushed  its  work  across  the  ocean 
into  Sweden,  France,  Italy,  Turkey,  Switzerland,  Africa  and 
other  countries,  so  that  on  every  hand  they  are  constantly 
cheered  with  the  news  of  the  glorious  results  of  their  labors. 
The  society's  work  among  the  negro  Baptists  of  these  United 
States,  according  to  their  ability,  has  been  cheering.  They 
have  given  our  Sunday  schools  thousands  of  dollars'  worth  of 
Bibles  and  other  reading  matter.  They  have  now  in  nearly 
every  State  and  Territory  missionaries  and  colporteurs  traveling 
in  every  direction,  and  everywhere  preaching  the  gospel  and 
organizing  Sunday  schools  and  churches,  giving  to  those  not 
able  to  buy  the  Bible  the  Word  of  God.  Who  can  estimate 
the  good  done  by  this  institution  for  our  people?  Only  God. 
Here  we  were  when  emancipated  with  but  a  small  percentage 
of  general  culture.  Though  we  were  Baptists,  we  were  unin- 
telligent. A  compromising,  a  sort  of  anything- will-do-Baptists. 
With  such  to  contend  with,  there  is  no  telling  where  we  would 
have  landed.  Perhaps  we  would  have  lost  our  substance, 
having  nothing  left  us  but  the  mere  hull  or  name  Baptist. 
Doubtless  we  would  have  been  a  little  of  every  denomination. 
We  can  but  thank  God  for  the  successful  work  of  the  society 
among  us  as  negro  Baptists  in  assisting  us  to  do  our  work 
intelligently.  It  has  done  for  us^  what  we  could  not  do  for 
ourselves.  When  we  laid  by  the  wayside,  torn,  bleeding  and 
powerless,  gripped  in  the  poisonous  talons  of  ignorance  and 
superstition,  the  society,  Good  Samaritanlike,  took  us  up,  and 
is  still  strengthening  us  in  our  weakness  to  go  forward  in  the 
great  work  assigned  us.  It  is  everywhere  dispensing  its 
liberalities,  leading  a  host  to  Christ  and  the  doctrines  which  he 
has  taught. 

Never  should  we  allow  ourselves  to  think  that  this  noble  in- 
stitution belongs  to  the  white  Baptists  of  America  alone,  but  to 
us  as  well,  though  managed  by  white  brethren.  Its  books, 
periodicals  and  other  literature  are  as  accessible  to  us  at  the 
same  charges  as  to  them.  Its  charities  are  as  freely  extended  to 
us  as  to  them.  It  can  and  has  already  done  more  for  us  than 
it  can  ever  hope  to  be  remunerated,  and  is  still  making  greater 
efforts  to  build  up  our  people. 


African  Baptist   Church.  26? 

Its  object  being  to  promote  evangelical  religion  by  means  of 
the  Bible,  printing  press,  colportage  and  the  Sunday  school 
makes  it  an  institution  unfounded  upon  financial  consideration 
to  benefit  a  few.  It  is  not  to  enrich  a  few  but  to  bless  the  peo- 
ple. Every  negro  Baptist  in  America  should  feel  proud  of  the 
society.  Every  Baptist  Sunday  school  and  church  should  be 
encouraged  to  use  their  Sunday  school  supplies  and  books.  !N"ot 
only  that  but  they  should  be  called  upon  to  give  donations  to 
the  society,  and  thus  assist  them  to  further  prosecute  their 
grand  and  glorious  work.  Whatever  we  might  now  be  able  to 
do  for  the  society  would  be  but  a  scanty  return.  Let  us  hold 
up  its  arms,  give  our  patronage  and  donations,  our  sympathy 
and  prayers,  that  it  may  live  till  the  end  of  time  a  mighty 
agent  in  the  hand  of  God  for  the  promotion  of  evangelical  reli- 
gion and  bringing  back  all  sects  and  creeds  to  the  doctrine  of 
one  Lord,  one  faith  and  one  baptism. 


THE  BIBLE  AS  BELIEVED  BY  BAPTISTS. 

BY  REV.  J.  C.  BRYAN. 

This  presumes  that  Baptists  believe  the  Bible  in  a  peculiar 
manner,  or  in  an  altogether  emphatic  sense,  and  this  is  true. 
This  is  the  very  matter  of  my  contention. 

All  christians  profess  to  believe  the  Bible,  especially  the 
Protestant  christians. 

Chillingworth's  immortal  words  have  been  accepted  as  the 
motto  of  nearly  all  denominations — "The  Bible!  The  Bible !" 
the  religion  of  Protestants,  and  yet  the  motto  belongs  to 
Baptists  with  a  propriety  which  other  bodies  of  christians  can 
not  claim  justly. 

Baptists  found  their  pretensions  on  the  Bible,  derive  from 
the  Bible  their  tenets,  and  appeal  to  the  Bible  as  the  justifica- 
tion of  their  practices. 

To  go  into  particulars,  Baptists  believe 

1.  That  the  Bible  is  truly  inspired,  that  it  is  God's  own 
book — God  breathed.  They  believe  that  holy  men  of  old 
wrote  it  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  They  do  not 
hold  it  simply  the  best  of  books,  the  greatest  of  books,  but  as  a 
divine  book.  They  maintain  not  simply  that  it  contains  a 
revelation  of  God's  will,  but  that  it  is  such  a  revelation.  I  do 
not  mean  to  enter  upon  theories  of  inspiration,  whether  oral 
or  dynamic,  whether  sacred  writers  were  simply  the  penmen 
and  amanuenses  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  or  wrote  freely  under  a 


268  History  of  the  First 


simple  divine  illumination  and  impulse.  All  that  I  insist  on 
now  is  that  the  Bible  is  truly  the  Word  of  God,  and  as  such,  is 
distinguished  from  all  other  books. 

No  work  of  human  genius  approaches  it  or  is  like  it.  Some 
parts  of  the  Bible  no  doubt  are  more  valuable  than  other  parts, 
but  this  is  no  disparagement  of  it  as  being  inspired  throughout. 

The  Baptists  believe  that  the  Bible  is  a  finished  book — that 
the  sacred  canon  is  completed.  They  do  not  believe  in  a  pro- 
gressive revelation  or  a  progressive  orthodoxy.  They  grant, 
indeed  that  the  Bible  may  be  more  truly  interpreted,  but  they 
deny  that  additions  have  been  made  or  will  be  made  to  the 
substance  of  its  teachings. 

Not  a  few  so-called  christians  in  our  day  hold  that  the  Bible 
is  inspired  only  as  all  works  of  high  genius  are  inspired,  such 
as  those  of  Shakspeare  and  Milton.  Far  away  froni  this  opinion 
is  the  Baptist  estimate  of  the  Bible. 

2.  Baptists  believe  that  the  Bible  is  the  sole  and  sufficient 
directory  in  religious  faith  and  practice. 

Roman  Catholics  believe  in  the  Bible,  but  they  put  the  church 
and  Pope  above  it.  Many  exalt  what  they  call  the  "Christian 
consciousness"  above  the  Bible,  or  to  a  level  with  it,  and  prac- 
tically say  that  we  are  to  believe  the  Bible  only  so  far  as  it 
harmonizes  with  our  own  judgment  and  feelings.  We  cannot 
help  thinking  and  saying  that  it  is  through  an  imperfect  faith 
in  the  Bible  with  some  denominations  that  sprinkling  has  taken 
the  place  of  immersion  in  the  act  of  baptism,  and  that  infants' 
baptism  has  been  introduced  into  the  church,  and  that  aris- 
tocratic forms  of  church  government  has  been  allowed  to  sup- 
plant the  simple  democracy  of  the  New  Testament. 

Baptists  reject  all  human  authority  on  the  formation,  creeds 
and  rules  and  conduct,  and  claim  that  the  Bible  is  the  first  and 
last  appeal  in  religious  matters. 

3d.  Baptists  believe  that  the  Bible  is  a  simple  book,  easily 
understood  by  persons  of  the  right  spirit.  The  Bible  is  its  own 
interpreter.  Hence,  Baptists  believe  in  the  right  of  private 
judgment,  the  sacred  and  inviolable  rights  which  they  have 
been  the  defenders  of  unto  death. 

Let  us  beware  of  making  the  Bible  an  idol  or  of  thinking 
that  its  mere  presence  in  the  house  is  enough.  Baptists  believe, 
as  to  the  Bible,  that  it  will  be  of  no  avail  unless  it  pass  into  prac- 
tice, etc.  We  thank  God  for  the  Bible  and  for  salvation  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  and  for  the  gift  of  the  holy  spirit  to 
enlighten  our  minds.  May  our  centennial  celebration  be  one 
of  success  and  great  joy,  and  redound  to  the  glory  of  God,  and 
to  the  advancement  of  our  Redeemer's  kingdom  on  earth. 


African  Baptist  Church.  269 

THE   BIBLE  AS  BELIEVED  BY  BAPTISTS. 

BY  REV.  G.  M.  SPRATLING,  BRUNSWICK,  GA. 

Having  been  invited  by  your  committee  to  speak  on  this  im- 
portant subject,  I  cheerfully  comply.  Baptists  are  often  asked 
for  information  respecting  their  faith  and  distinctive  practices. 
"We  must  give  the  Bible  for  our  answer.  The  Bible  "  was  writ- 
ten by  men  divinely  inspired,  and  is  a  perfect  treasure  of 
heavenly  instruction.  It  has  God  for  its  author,  salvation  for 
its  end,  truth  without  mixture  of  error  for  its  matter.  It  re- 
veals the  principle  by  which  God  will  judge  us,  and  therefore 
shall  remain  to  the  end  of  the  world  the  true  center  of  christian 
union  and  the  supreme  standard  by  which  all  human  conduct, 
creed  and  opinions  shall  be  tried." 

Let  us  begin  with  the  New  Testament  before  us.  "Who  can 
read  that  blessed  book  with  serious  attention  without  coining 
to  the  conclusion  that  the  religion  upon  which  it  treats  is  that 
which  Baptists  believe  and  practice?  It  is  personal  and  Arolun- 
tary.  None  are  worthy  to  be  called  christians  but  those  who 
worship  God  in  the  spirit,  rejoicing  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  have 
no  confidence  in  the  flesh. — Phil .,  iii,  4. 

When  Moses  addressed  the  Israelites  and  exhorted  them  to 
obedience,  he  included  their  children  in  his  exhortation,  be- 
cause the  children  were  in  the  covenant.  Judaism,  with  all 
of  its  privileges  and  responsibilities,  was  hereditary.  The  rights 
and  duties  of  the  parents  became  the  rights  and  duties  of  their 
offspring  as  such.  It  is  not  so  now ;  I  mean  under  the  new  dis- 
pensation. "We  are  not  born  christians  nowadays,  and  neither 
can  there  be  born  such ;  but  they  become  christians  when  they 
repent  and  believe  the  gospel.  The  Apostle  John  makes  known 
that  fact  (chap,  i,  12-13):  "But  as  many  as  received  Him,  to 
them  gave  He  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them 
that  believe  on  his  name :  which  were  born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of 
the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God." 

Judaism  was  a  national  institution,  but  Christianity  is  an 
individual  blessing.  The  Jews  were  a  nation — dealt  with  as 
such,  and  separated  from  all  other  people  by  their  peculiar  rites 
and  ceremonies ;  but  christians  are  believers,  and  made  fellow- 
citizens  of  the  household  of  faith.  By  reading  the  New  Testa- 
ment, we  find  that  "There  is  neither  Greek  nor  Jew,  circum- 
cision nor  uncircumcision,  barbarian,  Scythian,  bond  nor  free : 
but  Christ  is  all,  and  in  all." — Col.,  iii.,  11. 


270  History  of  the  First 


Hence  when  the  apostles  wrote  to  christian  churches  their 
mode  of  addressing  was  altogether  different  from  that  adopted 
by  Moses.  They  did  not  say  you  and  your  children,  or  represent 
the  children  as  in  covenant  with  God,  and  therefore  enti- 
tled to  certain  rights  and  bound  to  the  performance  of  certain 
duties.  The  churches  to  which  they  wrote  their  epistles  were 
spiritual  societies,  that  is,  associations  of  individuals  professing 
repentance  toward  God  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to 
whom  they  had  surrendered  themselves.  If  those  individuals 
were  parents  they  were  taught  to  bring  up  their  children  in  the 
nurture  and  admonition  of  God ;  but  mark  you,  their  children 
w  ere  nowhere  classed  with  them  in  the  New  Testament  as  the 
children  of  the  Jews  were  in  the  Old  Testament.  Nor  could 
they  be  till  they  themselves  repented  and  believed  the  gospel. 
It  is  easily  seen  that  no  modern  society  deserves  to  be  called  a 
christian  church  which  is  not  founded  upon  such  principles  as 
these.  If  you  were  to  place  a  New  Testament  in  the  hands  of 
an  intelligent,  impartial  person  who  had  never  heard  of  our 
divisions  and  denominations,  what  idea  would  he  be  likely  to 
form  of  the  spirit  and  design  of  Christianity  and  the  christian 
church?  Would  he  not  see  in  every  part  of  this  book  appeals 
to  men's  understanding  and  emotions,  and  such  requisitions  as 
could  only  be  addressed  to  those  who  were  capable  of  thinking 
and  acting  for  themselves?  Would  he  not  conclude  that  Chris- 
tianity has  to  do  with  the  mind  and  a  christian  must  be  a  per- 
son of  faith,  and  that  a  church  is  a  voluntary  society  formed 
and  made  up  of  such  persons? 

We  now  come  to  the  question  of  baptism.  What  is  baptism  ? 
"It  is  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  toward  God." — I.  Peter , 
iii,  21.  "  It  is  putting  on  Christ." — Gal.,  iii,  27.  It  is  the  volun- 
tary act  of  a  believer ;  an  act  of  obedience,  of  self-dedication, 
for  such  is  the  uniform  meaning  of  the  term.  "And  there  went 
out  unto  Him  all  the  land  of  Judea,  and  they  of  Jerusalem, 
and  were  all  baptized  of  Him  in  the  river  of  Jordan,  confess- 
ing their  sins." — Mark,  i,  5.  So  the  Samaritans,  "But  when 
they  believed  Phillip  preaching  the  things  concerning  the  king- 
dom of  God,  and  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  they  were  baptized, 
both  men  and  women." — Acts,  viii,  12. 

Mark  well,  men  and  women.  No  infants  believe  in  Christ. 
The  profession  of  faith  was  held  to  be  essential  to  baptism  and 
to  church  fellowship.  None  could  profess  faith  who  were 
incapable  of  exercising  it.  The  act  of  profession  doubtless 
implied  understanding,  approbation  and  choice.  This,  then,  is 
the  test  point.  Here  is  the  beginning  of  the  history  of  the 
Baptists,  with  the  New  Testament  only  before  us.     We  find 


African  Baptist  Church.  271 

baptism  connected  with  profession  of  faith.  It  is  a  voluntary 
act,  and  such  acts  only  are  illustrative  of  Christianity  of  the 
nineteenth  century.  There  is  a  service  of  another  kind.  That 
is  sprinkling,  and  not  immersing;  and  the  subjects  in  many 
cases  are  infants,  and  not  believers,  which  service  is  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  teaching  of  the  New  Testament ;  not  in  opposition 
to  the  Baptists'  doctrines  and  practices  only,  but  to  Christ,  our 
wonderful  Teacher.  We  find,  by  attentive  researches  of  the 
New  Testament,  no  such  thing  as  baptizing  and  receiving 
infants  into  the  church  before  they  have  sense  enough  to  think 
and  act  for  themselves.  As  Christ  only  gave  those  whom  He 
sent  permission  to  baptize  such  as  had  sense  enough  to  believe 
the  gospel;  so  we  read  in  Mark,  Preach  the  gospel,  and  he 
that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved.  I  believe  it  is 
treason  against  heaven  and  an  insult  to  God  to  so  daringly 
oppose  His  command.  It  is  also  an  imposition  upon  the  pure, 
helpless  babe  to  pour  water  on  it  and  receive  it  into  a  certain 
society  without  allowing  it  to  grow  large,  old  or  wise  enough  to 
think  for  itself.  It  is,  in  substance,  but  a  gag  law  upon 
humanity,  and  a  death  blow  aimed  at  true  Christianity.  There 
are  a  few  historians  who  wrote  of  infant  baptism.  But  there 
are  a  great  many  others  who  deny  and  denounce  infant  bap- 
tism. Thus  you  may  see  that  a  large  majority  of  historians 
oppose  it.  Therefore,  Justin  Marty n  and  Ireanus  are  assuredly 
standing  in  the  side-track,  for  their  assertion  is  not  in  accord 
with  the  New  Testament,  and  when  history  does  not  accord 
with  the  Bible,  it  is  bogus,  so  far,  at  least,  as  Christianity  is 
concerned.  All  lexicographers,  all  encyclopedias,  and  almost  all 
historians,  Baptist  and  pedo-Baptist,  and  a  large  majority  of 
the  best  commentaries  are  in  sympathy  with  Baptist  doctrine, 
or  Bible  doctrine;  not  because  of  its  weakness,  but  of  its 
strength;  not  because  of  the  church  recrnit  or  organization, 
but  because  of  its  primeval  existence.  The  Bible  and  history, 
according  to  that,  bears  out  the  Baptists. 

We  read  in  the  Song  of  Solomon,  vi,  9,  these  words:  "My 
dove,  my  undefiled  is  but  one;  she  is  the  only  one  of  her 
mother,  she  is  the  choice  one."  Although  the  church  under- 
went severe  changes  through  the  severest  dispersions,  that  of 
patriarchal  and  Mosaic,  but  not  enough  to  destroy  it.  Christ 
was  watching  His  church,  for  she  was  His  choice,  and  He 
brought  her  through  the  darkness  until  He  saw  fit  to  identify 
Himself  with  His  church.  Isaiah  saw  Him  "  coming  from  Edom 
with  dyed  garments  from  Bozrah."  He  was  then  on  His  way 
to  meet  His  church.     He  identified  Himself  with  the  Baptist 


272  History  of  the  First 


church  in  baptism.  He  was  also  identified  in  that  of  close 
communion  and  in  repentance,  for  He  preached  it. 

The  identification  of  the  Saviour  is  in  our  favor.  The  Bible 
is  full  of  such  doctrine  as  the  true  God,  the  fall  of  man,  the 
way  of  salvation,  justification,  the  freeness  of  salvation,  repent- 
ance and  faith,  God's  purpose  of  grace,  of  sanctification,  the 
gospel  church,  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  the  Lord's  Lay, 
righteousness  and  wickedness  and  the  world  to  come. 

If  I  am  to  name  the  church  it  is  the  Baptist  church,  for  she 
has  one  Lord,  which  is  her  great  head,  law-giver  and  judge. 
One  faith,  which  is  her  escort  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and 
one  baptism,  which  is  her  divine  ordinance,  introduced  by  au- 
thority of  heaven  and  by  the  Father  loudly  thundering  through 
the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  River  Jordan,  when  John  baptized  His 
Son,  "Thou  art  my  beloved  Son  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased." 

The  Baptists  believe  that  the  Bible  teaches  a  democratic  form 
of  church  government.  Popes,  bishops  and  elders,  as  practiced 
by  other  denominations,  are  entirely  unwarranted  by  the  New 
Testament.  Baptists  believe  that  the  Bible  forbids  prayer  or 
homage  to  departed  saints  or  angels.  Rev.,xix,  10:  "And  I 
fell  at  His  feet  to  worship  Him.  And  He  said  unto  me,  See 
thou  do  it  not :  I  am  thy  fellow-servant,  and  of  thy  brethren 
that  have  the  testimony  of  Jesus :  "Worship  God :  for  the  testi- 
mony of  Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy." 

The  Baptists  believe  simply  this :  "What  the  Bible  forbids, 
Baptists  reject,  and  what  it  teaches  they  accept  as  the  word  of 
God.  Would  that  the  world  reverenced  the  Bible  as  the  Bap- 
tists.    Amen. 


THE     QUALIFICATION     AND     DIGNITY     OF     THE 

MINISTRY. 

BY  REV.  CHARLES  H.  BRIGHTHARP. 

I  feel  myself  somewhat  flattered  in  having  been  called  on  to 
speak  on  so  grand  and  momentous  a  subject  as  the  gospel 
ministry. 

Permit  me  to  say  the  called  minister  of  God  stands  para- 
mount to  all  men  in  Christendom. 

The  Governor  of  State,  the  President  of  States,  Kings  of 
their  domains,  and  the  Queen,  with  her  crown,  must  adhere  to 
the  humble  minister  of  Christ.  For  it  is  by  him  that  the  word 
of  God  must  be  preached.  This  being  a  fact,  he  ought  to  be  a 
man  of  character.     "When  I  use  the  word  character,  I  mean  as 


African  Baptist   Church. 


referred  to  men.  Character  is  what  the  man  is,  and  stands  far 
above  reputation,  which  men  will  give  and  seek  to  take  away. 
Character  is  a  God-given  property,  and  every  person  once  in 
life  has  it.  In  speaking  of  .character,  I  mean  all  the  adjuncts 
that  go  to  form  it — virtue,  sobriety  and  integrity.  These  must 
need  be  in  every  preacher  who  would  succeed. 

1.  I  now  call  your  attention  to  an  example  found  in  the 
Bible.  Barnabas,  who  is  worthy  of  emulation,  is  called  the 
son  of  consolation.  Daring  the  terrible  persecutions  in  the 
days  of  the  Martyrs,  Stephen  and  the  brethren  were  scattered 
abroad.  The  church  at  Jerusalem  sent  their  son  of  consolation, 
for  he  was  a  good  man,  and  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  of 
faith,  and  much  people  was  added  to  the  Lord. 

If  the  standard  of  the  ministry  was  lifted  higher,  by  having 
good  men,  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  faith,  thus  with  the 
Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost  on  our  side,  we  cannot  but  succeed 
to  wage  war  against  sin  and  the  devil. 

2.  I  mean  to  say  that  he  was  not  only  a  christian,  but  good 
in  the  common  sense  of  the  word.  He  was  eminently  good. 
This  epithet  is  often  given  as  a  sneer.  But  not  so  with  Bar- 
nabas. He  was  good  in  principle.  He,  like  the  Apostle  Paul, 
did  not  value  himself  upon  those  things  wherein  he  differed 
from  other  men,  but  gloried  in  those  principles  which  he  pos- 
sessed that  were  common  to  every  good  man.  The  inspired 
apostle  says  that  he  gloried  in  those  tnings  which  he  had  that 
were  common,  to  all  men — charity,  (that  is,  love),  as  used 
in  the  new  version.  "Wherever  there  is  love,  goodness  is 
her  eldest  daughter."  Barnabas  loved  God;  hence  he  was 
willing  to  do  good  for  the  cause  of  Christ.  The  people  heard 
him,  because  he  was  a  good  man,  working  for  a  good  cause. 
Let  us,  like  Barnabas,  be  ready  for  every  good  work,  and  then 
churches  will  look  for  us,  and  save  us  the  embarrassing  trouble 
of  looking  for  them. 

Brother  ministers,  the  chief  thing  we  should  value  is  charac- 
ter. All  men  should  keep  a  circumspect  eye  over  it.  We  live 
in  a  busy  age,  in  which  the  snare  of  the  great  arch  fiend  of  hell 
may  take  us  unawares.  A  nail  driven  through  a  plank  knocks 
out  nature's  grain,  and  all  the  putty  and  paint  the  most  skilled 
chemist  may  make  cannot  put  nature's  mark  back.  Nor  can  a 
fallen  minister  fully  reach  the  place  from  whence  he  has  fallen. 
One  ounce  of  prevention  is  worth  a  pound  of  cure.  Stay  up, 
and  you  will  not  have  to  get  up. 

Character  must  be  valued  at  home  in  your  own  family  circle. 
If  you  walk  not  close  with  God  there  you  will  not  be  able  to 


274  History  of  the  First 


work  for  him  elsewhere.     It  is  at  home  and  around  your  own 
fireside  that  true  judgment  is  set. 

I.  Goodness  is  one  of  the  strongest  attributes  that  goes  to 
make  character,  and  beyond  a  doubt  every  minister  ought  to 
have  this  epithet  attached  to  his  name.  Shakspeare  says  there 
is  nothing  in  a  name,  but  Solomon  says  a  good  name  is  rather 
to  be  chosen  than  great  riches. 

II.  Barnabas  was  full  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  so  must  he  be 
who  heralds  this  glorious  gospel  of  the  Most  High  God.  The 
Holy  Spirit  sometimes  denote  His  extraordinary  gifts,  as  in  Acts, 
xix,  where  the  Apostle  Paul  puts  the  question  to  some  believers 
in  Christ  whether  they  had  received  the  Holy  Ghost.  But  here 
it  signifies  His  indwelling  and  ordinary  operation,  or  what  is 
elsewhere  called  an  unction  from  the  Holy  One.  It  is  very 
needful,  my  brethren,  that  he  who  preaches  the  word  of  God 
should  be  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost  from  on  high.  God  is  a 
spirit  and  seeketh  such  to  worship  Him  in  spirit  and  in  truth. 
Unless  the  man  of  God  is  spiritually  minded  he  can  not  com- 
municate with  God,  "Who  is  all  spirit.  He  who  metes  out  the 
word  of  life  must  live  nearer  to  God,  that  he  may  be  well  quali- 
fied to  teach  his  fellow-man  the  deep  things  of  God,  which  are 
only  discerned  by  spiritually  minded  men.  This  is  a  fact  that 
can  not  be  eradicated.  The  man  who  bears  this  heavenly  news 
to  lost  sinners  must  be  richly  imbued  with  the  vital  spirit  from 
heaven.  He  will  guide  the  subservient  minister  in  the  way  of 
truth. 

III.  The  minister  of  Christ  who  wills  to  succeed  must  be  full 
of  faith.  The  word  "faith"  is  difficult  to  understand,  though  it 
has  been  used  ever  since  the  fall  of  man.  It  is  hard  to  ascer- 
tain with  precision  the  real  meaning  and  extent  of  this  term. 
We  have  it  "trust,"  "confide,"  and,  in  Hebrew,  "to  lean  on." 
Therefore  he  who  teaches  the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God  must 
lean  on  Him  for  succor,  for  He  is  a  present  help  in  the  time  of 
need.  We  must  pray  to  God  and  read  the  Bible  with  faith 
that  we  may  be  well-gospeled  ourselves. 

IV.  The  ministers  of  to-day  must  be  educated,  or  they  will 
be  forced  from  their  pulpits  by  the  rising  pews.  The  negro 
ministers  of  this  period  fill  a  peculiar  office.  One  part  of  their 
congregation  is  not  educated.  The  other  wants  to  hold  to  old 
custom.  The  third  part  has  some  education,  or  are  educated. 
They  all  must  be  reached.  The  old  fathers  and  mothers  who 
have  gone  before  us  have  laid  well  the  foundation  for  us  to 
build  upon;  therefore  they  must  be  kept  alive.  The  young 
must  be  trained,  for  they  are  our  future  hope  of  the  negro  race. 
The  old  saying,  "Open  your  mouth  and  God  will  fill  it,"  will 


African  Baptist   Church.  275 

not  do  for  this  progressive  age.  He  who  preaches  the  gospel 
must  know  how  by  ardent  study.  The  inspired  apostle,  moved 
upon  by  the  divine  inspiration,  said  to  Timothy  in  his  last 
writing:  "Study  to  show  thyself  a  workman  that  needeth  not 
be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the  word  of  truth." 

The  minister  should  be  well  informed  before  he  enters  the 
pastorate.  The  word  of  God  must  be  a  living  power  in  the 
minister,  that  he  may  be  elected,  and  thereby  elect  his  fallen 
brothers,  who  are  sailing  over  life's  ocean  ainid  the  breakers 
that  may  cause  an  eternal  wreck.  Long-winded  tales,  false 
zeal  and  stamping  of  feet  will  not  preach  the  gospel,  my  breth- 
ren. Thus  saith  the  word  of  holy  writ :  ''If  a  man,  therefore, 
purge  himself  from  these,  he  is  a  vessel  unto  honor,  sanctified, 
meet  for  the  Master's  use,  and  purified  unto  every  good  work." 

"  So  let  our  lips  and  lives  express 
The  holy  gospel  we  profess ; 
So  let  our  works  and  virtues  shine, 
To  prove  the  doctrine  all  divine." 

V.  Dignity. — This  means  "above,"  and  as  the  ministry  is  a 
high  calling,  it  behooves  the  minister  to  be  dignified.  God  has 
called  him  out  of  darkness  into  light ;  therefore,  He  Who  is 
Light,  has  called  the  minister  to  walk  in  the  effulgence  of  the 
Son  of  God.  Dignity  is  not  fine  apparel  nor  flippant  speech, 
but  it  means  a  rounded  man,  filled  with  all  the  principles  that 
constitute  a  minister.  The  servant  of  God  should  do  right  at 
all  times.  "  Be  sure  you  are  right,  and  then  go  ahead,"  ever 
holding  to  your  integrity.  Christ  has  committed  to  his  preachers 
his  church.  They  stand  next  their  Master,  Who  is  pure  and 
holy,  and  calls  upon  us  to  be  holy,  as  He  is  holy.  God  has 
opened  the  way  for  his  preachers.  They  tell  the  people  how 
to  come,  that  they  may  receive  them. 

"  Come  as  a  teacher  sent  from  God, 

Charged  His  whole  counsel  to  declare, 
Lift  o'er  our  ranks  the  prophet's  rod, 
While  vve  uphold  their  hands  with  prayer. 

"  Come  as  a  messenger  of  peace, 

Filled  with  the  spirit,  fired  with  love, 
Live  to  behold  our  large  increase, 
And  die  to  meet  us  all  above." 


276  History  of  the  First 


THE  DUTY  OF  BAPTISTS  TO  HOME  MISSIONS. 

BY  REV.  E.  J.  FISHER,  LAGRANGE,  GA. 

Mr.  President  and  Brethren  Comjjosing  the  One  Hundredth  Anni- 
versary of  the  Negro  Baptists  of  Georgia: 

It  affords  me  no  small  degree  of  happiness  to  have  the 
pleasure  of  even  appearing  before  this  intelligent,  heaven-bound 
denomination,  for  the  purpose  of  speaking  a  word.  There 
have  been  many  important  subjects  under  discussion,  which 
were  handled  with  ability,  and  others  to  be  discussed,  among 
which  there  is  one  appearing  on  the  programme  with  vital  im- 
port, viz.:  "The  Duty  of  Baptists  to  Home  Missions,'*  and 
among  the  other  names,  I  find  E.  J.  Fisher,  of  LaGrange,  and 
that,  happens  to  be  my  name. 

Therefore,  allow  me  to  quote  you  a  passage  of  scripture,  which 
can  be  found  in  Joshua,  xiii,  1,  where  the  Lord  said  unto  him  : 
"Thou  art  old  and  stricken  in  years,  and  there  remaineth  yet 
very  much  land  to  be  possessed."  He  was  a  man  of  obedience. 
God  sustained  and  blessed  his  efforts.  He  was  also  about  one 
hundred  years  old.  Nothwithstanding  he  had  taken  many 
cities  and  lands,  still  there  were  many  more  to  conquer,  viz.: 
the  southland,  governed  by  five  lords,  and  westward,  as  far  as 
Sardonia.  It  was  his  duty  to  go,  because  God  sent  him.  In 
like  manner,  Jesus,  after  he  had  arisen  from  the  dead,  and 
was  about  to  make  His  ascension  back  to  heaven,  told  His 
disciples  to  "Go  ye  therefore  and  disciple  all  nations.'' 

Looking  this  commission  in  the  face,  seeing  it  comes  to  us  as 
to  them,  since  we  claim  that  we  are  keeping  pace  with  His 
teaching  and  the  practice  of  His  disciples,  it  becomes  more 
imperatively  the  duty  of  the  Baptists  to  do  mission  work 
than  any  other  denomination,  for  our  message  is  of  God  and  of 
His  Christ.  Therefore,  the  saving  of  the  world  is  upon  us. 
And,  as  the  disciples  were  to  begin  at  Jerusalem,  ours  is  to  begin 
in  Georgia,  and  continue  throughout  these  United  States.  For 
no  other  can  stand  as  do  the  Missionary  Baptist,  and  cry,  "One 
Lord,  one  faith,  and  one  baptism."  And,  as  we  are  the  sent  of 
God,  the  duty  is  not  a  small  one.  Hence,  this  army  is  to  go  on 
crying  until  Georgia  is  saved  totally,  and  then  reach  out  to  save 
the  world. 

Since  the  Baptists  believe  the  whole  counsel  of  God,  and  that 
counsel  is  truth,  and  as  the  world  is  to  be  saved  by  the  same,  it 
follows  that  the  Missionary  Baptist  is  to  do  this  home  mission 
work ;  for  they  are  better  prepared  to  do  it  than  any  other,  be- 
cause they  have  what  is  necessary  for  its  accomplishment,  save 


African  Baptist  Church. 


the  money  which  we  are  making  great  efforts  to  get.  May  the 
Lord  assist  us  in  getting  the  needed  amount  of  money  to  carry 
it  out.  Since  we  have  the  men  and  the  food  we  only  need  the 
train.  Let  each  of  us  see  that  it  is  supplied.  Now,  I  appeal  to 
every  Baptist,  since  it  becomes  our  duty  to  do  the  mission  work. 
As  we  are  called  of  the  Lord  to  do  this  work,  I  ask,  Shall  we 
have  the  train  for  conveyance,  which  is  money,  since  we  can 
not  do  without  it  ? 

Listen.  Before  the  birth  of  Christ,  at  the  call,  when  the 
prophet  said  he  saw  an  angel  with  six  wings  flying  from  the 
altar  with  a  live  coal  in  a  pair  of  tongs,  which  he  took  there- 
from, and  came  and  touched  his  tongue,  then  there  was  a 
voice  heard  saving,  "Who  will  go  for  us,  or  whom  shall  we 
send?"  Isaiah  answered  and  said,  "  Here  am  I,  send  me."  In 
like  manner  when  God  called  about  one  hundred  years  ago  this 
army  under  the  leadership  of  Bevs.  Leile  and  Bryan  answered 
the  same,  and  to-day  we  are  still  declaring  one  Lord,  one  faith 
and  one  baptism. 


THE  EVILS   OF  INTEMPEBANCE. 

BY  REV.  S.  D.  ROSIER. 

Mr.  Chairman,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen: 

Among  the  many  things  which  call  forward  the  men  of  this 
generation  upon  the  stage  there  is  nothing  more  important  than 
the  temperance  movement.  And  as  the  sacred  duty  of  speak- 
ing to  you  upon  so  important  a  subject  is  imposed  upon  me,  I 
purpose  to  speak  to  you  of  the  evils  of  intemperance. 

Intemperance  is  one  of  the  most  formidable  agents  the  devil 
has  ever  commissioned ;  the  principal  outcome  of  the  pandemo- 
nium council  of  hell. 

In  1865  the  proclamation  of  peace  and  freedom  was  published 
throughout  the  land.  The  tolling  bells  pealed  forth  the  glad 
news  in  almost  human  tones.  Nor  scarcely  has  the  foot  of  man 
trodden  upon  the  battle  grounds  of  that  eventful  crisis  that  he 
has  not  thought  of  the  precious  blood  that  was  shed  for  the  pur- 
chase of  peace  and  the  stability  of  the  Union.  It  was  a  hot 
struggle,  and  all  but  exhausted  the  fount  of  American  tears. 
All  this,  remember,  was  but  for  the  adjustment  of  the  govern- 
ment of  the  nation. 

But  even  when- this  was  done,  there  still  remained  a  rotten 
beam  in  the  fabric  of  the  nation's  fame — Intemperance ;  for  the 
untamed  flames  of  this  infernal  fiend  still  burns  in  our  famous 


278  History  of  the  First 


cities,  humble  hamlets,  and  prosperous  communities,  and  by 
which  judges,  lawyers,  doctors,  statesmen  and  clergymen  are 
being  consumed. 

We  may  boast  of  our  halls  of  science,  art,  and  literature,  and 
of  the  ten  thousand  temples  which  rise  and  point  to  heaven, 
silently  proclaiming  man's  fellowship  with  angels  in  the  skies. 
We  may  boast  of  civilization,  and  of  such  triumphs  and 
trophies  as  the  earth  has  never  seen  amid  the  countless  num- 
ber of  thrones  and  empires  of  glorious  birth.  But,  sir,  until 
this  blighting  curse  is  removed,  our  social  and  national  great- 
ness is  at  stake. 

Considering  the  present  state  of  society,  where  shall  we  go  to 
find  peace  and  freedom?  The  tippler  and  rum-seller  may  cry, 
"Here  is  peace,"  or  "There  is  peace;"  but  there  is  no  peace 
where  men  live  within  the  "iron  grasp"  of  this  diabolical  foe. 
They  plead  the  rights  of  personal  liberty.  I  am  on  the  side  of 
every  man  who  pleads  the  rights  of  personal  liberty,  provided 
he  agrees  to  abide  the  divine  law  of  personal  liberty.  That 
law  prohibits  an  infringement  either  directly  or  indirectly  upon 
the  rights  of  other  men.  And,  if  I  could  speak  of  personal 
liberty  as  the  boundary  of  the  United  States,  I  would  say 
personal  liberty  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  rights  of  others, 
on  the  east  by  the  rights  of  others,  on  the  south  by  the  rights 
of  others,  and  on  the  west  by  the  rights  of  others.  Cross  this 
boundary  line,  and  you  affect  the  moral  and  social  progress  of 
humanity.  Sir,  if  this  is  not  the  condition  of  America,  I  beg 
leave  to  be  silent. 

There  need  be  no  display  of  hygienic  knowledge  to  prove  the 
evils  of  intemperance.  Go  where  dwell  the  victims  of  intempe- 
rance, and  there  you  will  see  "  houses  without  windows,  gardens 
without  fences,  fields  without  tillage,  children  without  clothing, 
schooling,  morals  or  manners ;  and  could  the  ghosts  of  many  a 
lost  son  and  daughter  come  back  to  earth  to-day,  they  would 
never  rest  until  they  clenched  their  fiery  fingers  into  the  souls 
of  their  drunkard  fathers  and  mothers,  and  drag  them  down 
among  the  damned  and  doomed.  Look  at  the  dynasties  it  has 
overthrown,  the  nations  of  which  it  has  been  the  downfall,  and 
by  which  the  church  has  lost  many  of  her  brightest  sons  and 
daughters.  Dionysius,  King  of  Syracuse,  went  to  the  expense 
of  his  throne  and  lived  a  slave  to  the  disgraceful  habit  of  drink- 
ing. Alexander,  when  he  had  conquered  the  world,  and  prayed 
for  more  worlds  to  conquer,  at  last,  conquered  by  intemperance, 
went  from  the  imperial  throne  down  to  a  drunkard's  grave. 
Shakspeare,  Byron,  Burns,  Lamb,  Goldsmith,  and  many  others 
of  like  ability,  died  slaves  to  the  cup.     These  are  a  few  examples 


African  Baptist   Church.  279 

4 

of  the  past,  but  let  us  return  to  the  occurrences  of  our  own  time. 

The  expense  of  making  and  selling  intoxicating  liquors  in 
this  country  is  enormous.  In  1880,  the  expense  of  manufactur- 
ing and  selling  intoxicating  liquors,  the  cost  of  time  and  money 
lost  by  the  drinker,  and  the  accidents  it  caused,  was  estimated 
at  the  sum  of  $1,200,000,000  per  year.  Do  you  ask,  "  Who  were 
they  who  expended  their  time  and  this  vast  sum?'"  I  answer, 
that  class  of  people  who  constitute  the  staff  of  this  country — 
the  laborers.  But  who  can  tell  the  number  of  the  infinite  mil- 
lions lost?  Of  "  years,  fortunes,  talents,  honors,  positions,  char- 
acters, homes,  comforts  and  lives  lost?"  Heaven  alone  knows 
the  awful  record. 

Intemperance  is  nine-tenths  the  cause  of  murder,  criminality 
and  pauperism,  the  insanity  of  powerful  minds — minds  which 
might  have  moulded  and  shaped  the  opinions  of  nations — and 
could  we  but  redeem  the  financial  results  of  this  black  demon, 
and  call  the  slumbering  drunkards  from  their  graves,  we  might 
repeople  an  empty  world,  make  states,  build  kingdoms,  erect 
religious  and  social  institutions,  and  dedicate  them  to  the  honor 
and  glory  of  God.  But  alas,  they  are  forever  beyond  the  con- 
fines of  time. 

It  was  the  rum  traffic  which  deprived  us  of  our  freedom  in 
our  fatherland — the  dearest  pledge  of  our  existence.  It  has 
been  the  price  of  the  negroes'  influence  in  the  government  of 
this  great  republic,  the  perversion  of  legislation,  and  a  bar  to 
the  administration  of  justice.  Shall  we  undervalue  these  God- 
given  powers  and  exchange  them  for  the  "  fool's  pence  ?"  Can 
we  afford  to  sell  our  "birthrights  for  a  mess  of  vile,  blood- red 
pottage?"  God  forbid!  The  voice  of  mothers,  widows  and 
orphans  now  pleads  for  freedom  at  the  bar  of  civilization ;  they 
bend  the  knee  at  the  feet  of  statesmen  on  the  very  threshold 
of  the  Senate  chamber.  Can  we  hold  our  peace  ?  Exterminate 
this  hydra-headed  monster,  and  society  will  be  renovated,  pub- 
lic school  houses,  colleges,  universities  and  churches  will  rise 
upon  its  ruins,  more  means  and  men  will  be  raised  for  the  re- 
demption of  fallen  humanity. 

This  is  the  individual,  public,  national  and  religious  battle  of 
the  nineteenth  century,  and  we  must  stem  the  current,  however 
rapid,  and  under  the  white  banner  of  prohibition  lift  men  and 
women  above  the  billows  of  drink,  and  with  dauntless  courage 
of  duty  make  the  world  ring  with  our  repeated  strokes  until 
this  worst  of  foes  lies  vanquished  at  our  feet.  Then  may  we 
sing  to  the  Author  of  Liberty  sweet  freedom's  song  from  pole  to 
pole. 


280  History  of  the  First 


AKE  WE  ADVANCING  AS  A  DENOMINATION? 

,BY  PROF.  M.  P.  M'CRARY,  VALDOSTA,  GA. 

Mr.  President,  Friends  and  Brethren: 

In  submission  to  the  request  of  the  " Centennial  Committee" 
I  address  you. 

That  we  are  advancing  as  a  denomination  is  known  and 
acknowledged  in  all  christian  lands.  And  this  fact  the  world 
sees,  and  is  fast  learning  how  and  why  it  is  that  with  such 
rapidity  we  do  move  on  to  a  glorious  victory.  I  am  on  board 
the  ship  of  this  progressive  and  advancing  denomination.  The 
question  comes  to  us  to-day,  "Are  we  advancing  as  a  denomi- 
nation?"— a  question  of  great  and  vital  importance,  the  answer 
to  which  I  shall  give,  backed  by  truth,  in  the  affirmative,  in 
behalf  of  not  only  a  few,  but  millions. 

To  advance  is  to  move  forward,  to  rise,  to  increase.  There- 
fore, I  would  say  as  a  denomination  these  are  some  of  the 
characteristics  that  mark  our  numerous  attainments  and  very 
rapid  progress.  The  wonderful  increase,  numerically  and 
financially,  the  pleasing  moral  and  intellectual  advancement 
exhibit  a  noble  picture  in  favor  of  the  denomination's  progress. 
I  would  declare  most  emphatically  that  our  advancement  as  a 
denomination  is  plainly  marked  and  indelibly  stamped  iq>on 
the  pages  of  history.  But  to  prove  whether  or  not  an  organ- 
ization is  advancing,  be  it  a  religious  body  or  otherwise,  it  is 
very  essential,  I  think,  first  to  prove  or  know  its  foundation, 
the  source  of  its  origin,  whether  it  be  a  rocky  or  sandy 
foundation.  It  is  indeed  quite  requisite  to  know  the  legality, 
or  illegality  of  the  organized  body. 

I  said  just  now  that  as  a  denomination  we  are  advancing. 
Now  to  avoid  any  one  asking  me,  now  or  hereafter,  why  do  I 
say  so,  please  permit  me  just  here  to  state  rny  answer : 

1st.  Tbe  Baptist  denomination  is  founded  upon  the  rock 
Christ  Jesus. 

2d.  Christ  is  the  legal  authority  of  the  denomination. 

3d.  Christ  was  a  member  of  this  denomination  because  he 
founded  it  and  submitted  to  it  ordinances. 

4th.  Christ  is  the  life  and  success  of  this  denomination. 

Lastly,  it  has  lived  over  eighteen  hundred  years  and  made 
its  advent  into  most  all  the  world.  That  these  are  facts  indis- 
putable you  will  all  agree. 


African  Baptist  Church.  281 

Now,  then,  if  Christ  is  the  origin,  the  base  and  rock  upon 
which  this  pure  and  grand  old  Baptist  denomination  stands,  it 
is  quite  evident  that  it  has  an  infinite,  living  source. 

It  has  been  infallibly  established  that  the  Baptists  began  their 
denominational  life  under  the  ministry  of  our  Saviour,  hence  its 
rapid  growth,  fine  health  and  universal  acceptance  to-day. 

Allow  me  just  here,  my  friends,  to  state  this  fact.  It  is  the 
true  and  living  beginning  received  by  Christ,  our  great  founder 
and  leader,  that  promoted  our  growth  and  predicts  our  future 
triumph. 

Another  grand  evidence  of  our  certain  and  decided  progress 
is  that  during  the  dark,  gloomy  and  critical  ages  of  the  past, 
amidst  danger  and  even  death,  appearing,  as  it  were,  amid 
the  wreck  of  matter  and  the  crush  of  crumbling  worlds,  we 
flourished  and  grew  but  the  more.  I  say,  as  a  denomination 
we  are  advancing  most  assured^.  The  past  has  recorded  plain 
testimonies  in  proof  of  this  fact,  the  present  confirms  and  more 
fully  establishes  it,  and  the  future  awaits,  with  infinite  gravity, 
to  welcome  the  consummate  development  and  victory  of  the 
denomination. 

Judging  from  the  past  and  the  present,  we  can  but  feel  that 
as  a  denomination  we  are  destined  to  spread  over  all  the  world, 
and  unfurl  the  banner  of  truth  and  victory  over  every  home 
and  heart  of  Adam's  family,  upon  which  the  finger  of  inspira- 
tion has  inscribed  the  words,  "  One  Lord,  one  faith,  one  bap- 
tism." 

Dr.  Cathcart,  in  speaking  of  the  Baptist  denomination,  has 
with  ability  and  truth  said  that  the  Baptists  "are  the  parents 
of  absolute  religious  liberty  wherever  it  exists  in  christian 
nations."  They  are  the  founders  of  the  first  great  Protestant 
missionary  society  of  modern  times.  The  British  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society  was  formed  by  the  counsels  of  a  Baptist,  and  in 
which  every  Bible  society  in  the  world  felt  an  interest.  These 
are  plain  proofs  of  our  advancement. 

Another  reason  for  our  so  advancing  is  that  we  have  the 
Bible,  which  is  the  book  of  God,  the  book  of  books,  the  revealer 
of  God  to  man,  His  interpreter  as  the  God  of  nature.  This  is 
the  great  light  by  which  we  travel  in  this  world,  and  through 
which  we  inherit  our  religious  advancement. 

As  a  denomination  dating  further  back  than  any  other  can, 
every  month,  every  season,  every  year  and  every  century  un- 
folds the  rapidity,  the  grandeur  and  glory  of  the  advancement 
of  this  old  and  true  denomination. 

While  the  denomination's  growth  and  advancement  have 
been  astonishing  as  it  has  come  through  the  ages,  it  is  well  to 


282  History  of  the  First 


state  that  it  did  not  escape  persecutions  nor  fail  to  meet  the 
most  stubborn  objection  and  suffered  punishment  of  the  most 
cruel  nature.  Yet  the  height,  depth  and  width  of  its  growth, 
advancement  and  achievement  are  the  tokens  of  preeminence 
and  complete  victory. 

Thanks  to  the  Father,  the  giver  of  every  good  and  perfect 
gift,  that  this  grand  old  denomination  of  which  our  Saviour  was 
a  member  has  by  means  of  grace  broken  down  and  surmounted 
the  greatest  of  its  obstacles,  and  that  the  least  as  well  as  the 
greatest  must  bow  to  its  God-given  power  and  lie  vanquished 
at  its  feet.  Seeing,  therefore,  as  a  denomination,  that  we  are 
advancing  we  have  a  right  to  rejoice  and  be  glad,  the  right  to 
be  here  to-day  celebrating  the  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  our 
existence. 

Oh !  hearer,  think  for  a  moment  of  those  dark,  gloomy  and 
bitter  years  of  the  past,  and  imagine  the  denomination  as  it 
struggles  for  religious  liberty,  and  see  its  bold  and  wearied 
travelers  almost  fainting  on  the  way,  its  leaders,  some  of  whom 
fell  as  martyrs  to  the  enemy,  dying,  giving  their  lives  for  the 
spreading  of  the  gospel  of  Christ  to  every  creature,  and  con- 
tending for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints.  And  then 
come  with  me  again,  not  in  imagination,  but  in  reality,  to  this 
glorious  present,  and  see  if  you  do  not  see  a  pleasing,  grand 
and  glorious  future.  It  gives  us  joy  to  say  that  we  are  ad- 
vancing. We  may  say,  "We  are  coming,  we  are  coming,  we 
are  coming,  blessed  Saviour;  we  are  coming,  we  are  coming, 
we  hear  Thy  welcome  voice." 

The  Baptists  have  more  than  fifty  colleges  and  theological 
seminaries,  and  numerous  and  splendid  academies,  all  of  which 
show  their  amazing  progress  and  deep  interest  in  education. 
These  schools,  together  with  our  several  great  societies,  such  as 
the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society,  and  Home  Mission, 
Foreign  and  other  societies,  with  their  mighty  influence  upon 
the  human  family,  show  conclusively  the  wonderful  progress  of 
our  denomination. 

The  numerical  standing  of  our  denomination  is  not  silent  in 
evidence  of  our  advancement;  for  in  this  country  there  are 
26,060  churches,  16,596  ministers,  2,296,327  members,  and  in  all 
lands  there  are  30,699  churches,  with  2,769,389  members.  It 
is  also  estimated  that  more  than  8,000,000  persons  belong  to 
the  Baptist  denomination ;  and  besides  these,  our  principles  are 
extensively  held  by  members  of  other  communities. 

The  establishing  of  Sunday  schools,  and  their  rapid  and  con- 
tinued increase,  also  go  in  as  prominent  factors  to  demonstrate 
the  appreciable  increase  and  onward  march  of  the  denomina- 


African  Baptist   Church.  283 

tion.  The  Baptist  Sunday  schools  of  America  have  grown  with 
such  rapidity  that  they  number,  so  far  as  reported,  more  than 
13,493,  with  116,355  officers  and  teachers,  and  1,000,000  scholars. 
This,  alone,  tells  for  us  great  success  and  progress.  And  who 
can  value  its  lasting  influence  upon  society  in  its  instilling  of 
christian  doctrine,  and  in  training  the  young  in  the  path  of 
rectitude  ?  That  we  are  advancing  as  a  denomination,  and  that 
with  inconceivable  velocity,  is  self-evident. 

One  of  the  peculiarities  of  the  Baptist  denomination  is,  that 
whenever  and  wherever  she  is  planted,  she  lives.  We  are 
advancing,  and  our  source  is  sufficient  for  the  perpetual 
progress  of  the  denomination.  Illustrative  of  the  advancement 
of  our  denomination,  consider  the  small  seed  planted  here  in 
Savannah,  January  20th,  1788.  Did  it  die?  Was  it  plucked  up 
and  destroyed?  jNo.  It  lived;  it  grew  and  became  a  mighty 
tree,  yielding  abundant  fruit  every  season,  some  of  which  have 
ripened,  and  are  now  gathered  into  the  garner  of  the  Lord. 
This  tree  having  grown  exceedingly  large,  its  branches  extend 
now  into  every  conceivable  part  of  this  grand  old  empire  State, 
and  are  no  less  fruitful  than  their  parent  tree. 

While  the  ripe  fruit  has  been  gathered  into  the  Master's 
garner,  this  mother  tree  represents  to-day,  in  the  State  of 
Georgia,  1,500  branches,  or  churches,  with  166,429  members. 
Behold,  what  a  number!  Baptists,  we  are  advancing;  we  are 
marching  on  to  greater  achievement;  yes,  to  victoiy.  The 
grand  conclusive  evidences  that  we  are  advancing,  through 
Christ,  our  great  leader,  our  30,699  churches,  with  20,000 
ministers  and,  2,769,389  members;  our  13,493  Sunday  schools, 
with  116,355  officers  and  teachers,  and  1,000,000  scholars,  and 
our  fifty  col'eges  and  theological  seminaries,  and  numerous 
academies,  are  living  proofs.  With  these  we  have  all  that  is 
needed.  And  we  may,  advancing  as  we  are,  safely  hope  for  a 
victorious  future,  as  signal  and  pleasing  as  it  will  be  glorious. 

Feeling  assured  that  as  a  denomination  we  are  truly  advanc- 
ing, I  conclude  by  saying : 

"Onward  christian  soldiers, 
Onward  to  the  fight. 
Hold  the  banner  firmly, 
Battle  for  the  right. 

"Hold  the  cross  of  Jesus, 
As  your  banner,  high, 
Never  must  you  falter, 
Never  must  you  fly. 

"Jesus  is  our  captain, 
And  we'll  surely  win, 
If  we  do  His  bidding, 
We  may  conquer  sin, 


28J/.  History  of  the  First 


"Clad  in  heavenly  armor 
We'll  o'ercome  the  foe, 
Triumph  o'er  the  tempter, 
Jesus  tells  us  so. 

"Then  when  warfares  over, 
When  the  fight  is  done, 
When  the  foes  are  vanquished, 
When  the  victory's  won. 

"Laying  down  your  armor, 
Clad  in  snowy  white, 
You  shad  reign  with  Jesus, 
In  eternal  light." 


THE  DUTY  OF  THE  PASTOE  TO  THE  CHTTKCH. 

BY  KEY.  J.  W.  DUNJEE,  AUGUSTA,  GA. 

Mr.  President  and  Fellow- Christian  Workers  of  the  Centennial  Cele- 
bration of  the  Bajitist  Church  of  Georgia: 

I  am,  by  the  appointment  of  your  committee,  to  address  you 
at  this  hour  on  "The  Duty  of  the  Pastor  to  The  Church,"  but 
in  order  to  define  that  duty,  we  must  define  the  true  relation 
between  the  pastor  and  the  church.  This  can  be  done  only  by 
first  clearly  understanding  the  terms  of  the  contract  between 
the  church  and  the  pastor. 

Therefore,  if  the  church  has  the  right  to  make  a  contract  with 
the  pastor,  that  right  must  depend  upon  the  legal  and  lawful 
existence  of  the  church  itself  as  God's  agent.  This  position 
must  be  defined  in  accordance  with  God's  word.  Dr.  J.  N. 
Brown  says:  "A  gospel  church  is  a  congregation  of  baptized 
believers,  associated  by  covenant  in  the  faith  and  fellowship  of 
the  gospel,  observing  the  ordinances  of  Christ,  governed  by  His 
laws,  and  exercising  the  gifts,  rights  and  privileges  invested  in 
them  by  His  word." 

It  is  clear  that  the  only  scriptural  head  or  leader  of  the 
church  is  a  trained  bishop,  elder  or  pastor,  whose  qualifications, 
claims  and  duties,  are  defined  in  the  epistle  of  Timothy  and  Titus, 
(I.  Tim.,  iii,  1-8):  "This  is  a  true  saying,  If  a  man  desire  the 
office  of  bishop,  he  desireth  a  good  work.  A  bishop  then  must 
be  blameless,  the  husband  of  one  wife,  vigilant,  sober,  of  good 
behavior,  given  to  hospitality,  apt  to  teach ;  Not  given  to  wine, 
no  striker,  not  greedy  of  filthy  lucre ;  but  patient,  not  a  brawler, 
not  covetous ;  One  that  ruleth  well  his  own  house,  having  his 
children  in  subjection  with  all  gravity ;  (For  if  a  man  know  not 
how  to  rule  his  own  house,  how  shall  he  take  care  of  the  church 
of  God?)     Not  a  novice,  less  being  lifted  up  with  pride  he  fall 


African  Baptist  Church.  285 

into  the  condemnation  of  the  devil.  Moreover  he  must  have  a 
good  report  of  them  which  are  without;  lest  he  fall  into 
reproach  and  the  snare  of  the  devil." 

Titus, i,  5-8:  "For  this  cause  left  I  thee  in  Crete,  that  thou 
shouldst  set  in  order  the  things  that  are  wanting,  and  ordain 
elders  in  every  city,  as  I  had  appointed  thee :  If  any  be  blame- 
less, the  husband  of  one  wife,  having  faithful  children  not 
accused  of  riot  or  unruly.  For  a  bishop  must  be  blameless,  as 
the  steward  of  God ;  not  self-willed,  not  soon  angry,  not  given 
to  wine,  no  striker,  not  given  to  filthy  lucre." 

These  two  passages,  with  many  others  that  might  be  quoted, 
are  conclusive  evidence  that  the  office  of  the  ministry  is  of  divine 
appointment ;  the  great  duty  of  the  pastor  is  to  pasture  or  feed 
the  flock  of  God — the  church. 

Having  shown  that  the  office  of  pastor  is  one  of  divine  ap- 
pointment, we  will  now  endeavor  to  define  the  word  '"Church," 
employing  the  language  of  some  of  the  best  writers. 

The  Greek  word  for  "  church"  signifies  generally  an  assembly, 
either  common  or  religious,  and  it  is  sometimes  so  translated, 
as  in  Acts,  xix,  32,  39.  In  the  New  Testament  it  means  a  con- 
gregation of  baptized  believers  in  Christ,  as  in  Matthew,  xvi,  18: 
"And  I  say  also  unto  thee,  that  thou  art  Peter,  and  upon  this 
rock  I  will  build  my  church;  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
prevail  against  it."  This  reference  must  be  to  the  christian 
church  of  baptized  believers,  regularly  and  orderly  constituted 
after  the  divine  pattern.  Heb.,  xxii,  23:  "To  the  general 
assembly  and  church  of  the  first  born,  which  are  written  in 
heaven,  and  to  God  the  judge  of  all." 

It  seems  to  me  useless  to  quote  other  passages  to  prove  that 
the  church  and  ministry  are  of  divine  appointment.  This  fact 
is  accepted  by  the  christian  world. 

The  christian  minister,  with  his  divine  commission  in  his 
hand,  and  the  church,  as  God's  only  instruruentalhy  in  the  con- 
version of  the  world,  are  to  be  married  to  each  other  in  divine 
and  christian  wedlock,  in  accordance  with  the  divine  plan, 
which  was  ordained  of  God  from  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
as  the  best  and  only  way  of  converting  the  world  from  sin 
unto  salvation.     The  divine  order,  then,  is  church  and  pastor. 

This  relation  should  always  be  formed  in  the  most  prayerful 
and  deliberate  manner.  Out  of  the  union  thus  entered  into 
arise  the  responsibilities  and  duties  of  the  pastor  to  the  church. 
He  in  no  sense  holds  the  relation  of  a  mere  hireling,  who  is  to 
perform  a  certain  amount  of  work  for  so  many  dollars  and  cents, 
and  if  he  happens  not  to  please  the  deacons  in  everything  is 
to  be  discharged  at  their  will.     While  the  pastor  should  always 


286  History  of  the  First 


be  well  paid,  the  relation  goes  beyond  dollars  and  cents.  It  is 
a  moral  and  spiritual  relation  of  the  deepest  and  most  sacred 
character,  which  is  sanctioned  and  approved  by  the  great  Head 
of  the  Church. 

The  minister  is  the  under-shepherd,  overseer,  leader  and 
bishop  of  the  flock  of  God.  Acts,  xx.,  28 :  "  Take  heed  there- 
fore unto  yourselves,  and  to  all  the  flock  of  God,  over  which 
the  Holy  Ghost  has  made  you  overseers,  to  feed  the  church  of 
God,  which  He  has  purchased  with  His  own  blood."  Now, 
out  of  this  most  beautiful  and  tender  relation  above  stated, 
grows  the  duty  and  responsibility  of  the  pastor  to  the  church. 

1.  It  is  the  pastor's  first  duty  to  the  church  to  feed  the  flock 
with  spiritual  food,  by  the  constant  and  faithful  administration 
of  the  word  of  Christ,  without  regard  to  favors  or  frowns. 

2.  He  is  bound  to  discharge  his  duty  as  pastor  to  every  fam- 
ily in  the  church,  rich  or  poor,  by  keeping  a  zealous  watch  over 
their  spiritual  welfare,  in  their  homes  and  also  in  the  church, 
and  assisting  in  the  settlement  of  all  difficulties  in  the  spirit  of 
Christ,  as  far  as  it  is  possible  for  him  to  do. 

3.  The  pastor  has  a  special  duty  to  the  poor  and  sick,  whom 
he  should  never  overlook  in  his  most  tender  spiritual  adminis- 
tration. 

4.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  pastor  to  overlook  all  of  the  affairs  of 
the  church,  and  keep  himself  informed  as  to  the  condition  of 
every  department  of  church  work,  and,  from  time  to  time,  make 
such  recommendation  as  will,  in  his  judgment,  improve  the 
condition  of  the  church,  either  spiritually  or  financially. 

5.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  pastor,  under  the  authority  of  the 
word  of  God,  to  take  the  entire  leadership  and  oversight  of  the 
church,  and,  if  by  any  rule  of  the  church,  he  is  deprived  of  his 
gospel  rights,  he  is  not  in  the  truest  sense  pastor,  but  merely  a 
"supply." 

6.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  pastor  to  give  to  the  church,  on  each 
Lord's  day,  carefully  prepared  sermons ;  he  should  never  go 
before  his  people  without  thorough  preparation. 

7.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  pastor  to  cultivate  a  spirit  of  love 
and  kindness  toward  all  the  members  of  his  church,  with  a 
view  of  making  his  administration  as  pastor  a  blessing  to  the 
cause  of  Christ. 

8.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  pastor  to  so  conduct  himself  in  all 
of  his  dealings  with  the  church  as  to  hold  the  confidence  and 
respect  of  the  whole  church,  if  it  be  possible ;  but  it  is  not  his 
duty  to  relinquish  the  high  responsibility  of  his  office  to  please 
a  few  church  "cranks"  and  constitutional  grumblers,  which 
may  be  found  in  all  churches. 


African  Baptist  Church.  287 

9.  The  true  pastor  of  the  church,  divinely  called,  and  placed 
over  the  church  by  God's  authority,  who  is  head  of  the  church, 
never  should  be  removed  from  that  position,  except  Divine 
Providence  indicates  that  such  separation  is  for  the  good  of  the 
cause  of  Christ ;  and  this  separation  should  be  brought  about 
by  the  same  christian  deliberation  which  was  used  in  forming 
the  union  when  he  became  pastor  of  the  church. 


THE  DUTY  OF  THE  CHUKCH  TO  THE  PASTOE. 

BY   PROF.    ISAIAH    BLOCKER,    AUGUSTA,    GA. 

Without  argument  to  prove  it,  were  that  argument  necessary, 
let  us  agree  that  the  church  is  a  divine  organization ;  that  it  is 
a  bod}7  of  organized  christian  believers ;  that  it  is  more  than  a 
mere  society,  more  than  a  simple  lodge,  or  order  of  whatever 
character.  It  is  not  only  after  the  divine  pattern,  but  it  is  that 
pattern.  Eegenerate  believers  in  Christ,  "those  that  gladly 
received  His  word,"  compose  the  church.  It  is  not  complete 
in  its  organization  without  a  pastor.  ~No  bod}1-  of  christians, 
calling  themselves  a  church,  has  the  right  to  dispense  with  the 
services  of  a  minister.  Not  any  more  could  a  church  do  so  than 
it  could  dispense  with  religious  worship,  or  the  other  officers  of 
a  church. 

In  life,  men  sustain  relationships.  We  all  are  debtors,  one 
to  another.  Men  are  mutually  dependent.  Man  is  only  partially 
an  independent  being;  for  most  of  his  life  he  is  dependent  on 
his  fellow-men.  But  there  is  no  relationship  more  important 
and  sacred  than  that  which  exists  between  a  church  and  its 
pastor.  A  true  pastor  is  a  friend,  and  a  true  friend  is  a  rare 
possession.  The  relationship  between  friends  is  essentially 
close. 

"There  is  no  friend  like  the  old  friend,  > 

Who  has  shared  our  mourning  days  ! 
No  greeting  like  his,  no  homage  like  his  praise ! " 

The  relationship  of  husband  and  wife  is  sacred.  They  are 
one,  and  yet  they  are  two.  Both  the  same,  and  yet  both  dif- 
ferent. But  these  relationships  between  friend  and  friend, 
husband  and  wife,  suffer  somewhat  in  comparison  with  that 
relation  subsisting  between  the  pastor  and  the  church.  The 
marriage  estate  is  for  this  life  alone.  The  relationship  between 
pastor  and  church  is  spiritual;  hence  it  has  to  do  with  the 
future  state — eternity — and  in  this  is  superior. 


288  History  of  the  First 


Every  church  has  the  right  to  elect  its  own  officers.  So  also 
ought  every  church  have  the  right  to  choose  its  own  pastor.  It 
is  not  true,  however,  that  all  churches  have  this  prerogative. 
Among  Baptists  this  right  is  inviolable.  Possessing  the  free- 
dom of  choice,  and  having  made  selection  of  its  pastor,  a 
church  owes  him  duties  and  obligations  far-reaching  in  their 
character.  The  church  is  the  first  party  to  the  contract,  as  the 
man  is  to  the  marriage  contract,  it  having  made  the  proposi- 
tion for  the  agreement,  which  makes  them  one  in  interests,  and 
mutually  obligated.  And,  as  a  man  or  woman  should  look  well 
and  rationally  and  prayerfully  before  marriage,  to  ascertain  the 
similarity  of  age,  oneness  of  tastes,  equality  of  position,  har- 
mony of  mental  calibre,  and  that  physical  prerequisites  are 
found  in  his  or  her  life's  companion,  so  ought  also  a  church, 
before  making  choice  of  a  pastor,  to  look  well  into  the  charac- 
ter of  the  man  who  would  be  their  shepherd,  trusting  to  Divine 
guidance. 

That  which  a  person  is  bound  by  moral  obligations  to  do  or 
not  to  do,  is  a  sufficient  definition  of  duty.  A  pastor  is  an 
elder,  a  shepherd,  a  commissioned  officer  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  He  is  a  servant  and  an  embassador  for  Christ. 
His  office  and  duty  may  be  briefly  defined  in  this  pas- 
sage from  I.  Peter,  v,  1-4 :  "  The  elders  which  were  among 
you  I  exhort,  who  are  also  an  elder,  and  a  witness  of  the  suffer- 
ings of  Christ,  and  also  a  partaker  of  the  glory  that  shall  be 
revealed:  Feed  the  flock  of  God  which  is  among  you,  taking 
the  oversight  thereof,  not  by  constraint,  but  willingly ;  not  for 
filthy  lucre,  but  of  a  ready  mind;  Neither  as  being  lords  over 
God's  heritage,  but  being  ensamples  to  the  flock.  And  when 
the  chief  shepherd  shall  appear,  ye  shall  receive  a  crown  of 
glory  that  fadeth  not  away." 

To  "feed  the  flock  of  God,"  and  "taking  the  oversight  there- 
of," are  the  duties  of  the  shepherds.  "  Ensamples  to  the  flock  " 
they  are  to  be.  "Lords  over  God's  heritage."  they  are  not  to 
be.  Feeders  and  overseers  are  their  offices.  "  Whosoever  will 
be  chief  among  you,  let  him  be  your  servant."  Apparently, 
the  world  does  not  understand  what  is  meant  by  being  a 
servant.  Could  church  members,  and  people  in  society  gener- 
ally, be  brought  to  understand  that  those  among  them  who 
work,  who  serve,  will  be  chief,  will  be  most  respected,  and  most 
beloved,  and  most  honored,  there  would  be  fewer  drones  in 
church  and  in  state. 

What,  now,  is  the  duty  of  the  church  to  him  who  feeds  her, 
and  who  overlooks  her  affairs  spiritually?  The  first  duty  I 
shall    mention  as  being  due  a   pastor,  is  the  reverence   and 


African  Baptist   Church.  289 

christian  love  of  his  flock.  He  should  enjoy  their  entire  con- 
fidence. The  reward,  and  the  chiefest  reward,  he  might  hope 
for  in  this  life  is  the  love  and  reverence  of  his  people.  The 
constant  companionship  and  friendship  of  the  church  officers 
and  the  Sabbath  school  superintendent  would  be  an  inspira- 
tion to  him.  Among  the  numerous  duties  which  are  due  him 
by  his  congregation,  I  ought  not  to  fail,  in  passing,  to  mention 
the  apparently  insignificant  duty  of  visiting  him  and  his  family. 

We  can  not  help  him  unless  we  feel  an  interest  in  his  work. 
It  is  not  the  duty  of  the  church  to  expect  him  to  do  everything. 
It  is  not  just  nor  right  that  the  officers  and  members  should 
leave  the  financial  burden  of  the  church  to  the  pastor.  To 
themselves,  to  their  pastor  and  to  God,  church  members  owe 
the  everywhere-neglected  duty  of  becoming  intelligent  Bible 
christians.  Among  those  who  can  read,  just  the  same  as  among 
those  who  are  unlettered ;  with  the  white  people,  as  with  the 
colored;  in  churches  for  white  people,  as  in  churches  for 
colored  people ;  so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  observe,  there  is  a 
woeful  neglect  of  Bible  reading,  and  in  cases,  too  often,  there 
is  the  absence  of  the  Bible  itself  from  the  church  members' 
homes.  If  we  knew  more  about  the  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,"  our 
pastors'  sermons  would  be  more  helpful,  and  we  would  praise 
where  we  now  frequently  censure.  We  would  note  and  appreciate 
God's  providences,  where  now  we  trample  His  mercies  under 
our  feet.  If  we  wish  to  aid  our  pastor,  we  should  study  our 
Bibles.  He  knows  a  Bible  student  within  his  fold,  and  rightly 
values  his  industry  and  the  earnestness  with  which  he  listens 
to  his  sermons. 

Whether  close  communion  is  right,  or  whether  open  com- 
munion is  wrong;  whether  theater-going,  dancing,  or  card- 
playing  be  wrong  or  right ;  whether  being  temperate  or  a  total 
abstainer  is  right,  or  whatever  question,  you  will  have  no 
trouble  to  determine,  should  you  study  your  Bible,  nor  would 
you  give  the  pastor  or  the  church  any  trouble.  Let  us  know 
our  doctrine.  "  The  word  of  God  is  the  only  rule  of  faith  and 
practice,"  "Be  not  forgetful  to  strangers,"  and  "  Use  hospitality 
one  to  another,  without  grudging,''  are  passages  which  must 
suggest  to  the  thoughtful  virtues,  the  value  of  which  always 
will  be  properly  estimated  by  a  true  minister. 

I  wish  I  could  dwell  longer  on  this  point,  but  I  cannot. 
Indeed,  the  cultivation  of  any  christian  grace  is  a  help  to  the 
pastor.  And  could  christians  be  brought  to  the  fullest  point  of 
development  in  the  exercise  of  every  talent  and  liberality,  no 
trouble  would  be  experienced  with  regard  to  the  pastor's  sup- 
port, the  last  point  on  which  I  shall  speak. 


290  History  of  the  First 


Let  us  all  understand  that  surprise  parties  cannot  support  a 
pastor ;  that  a  minister  should  live  of  the  gospel  the  scriptures 
most  clearly  and  conclusively  teach.  And  his  support  should 
be  ample.  His  entire  time  should  also  be  devoted  to  the 
"ministry  of  the  word." 

But  the  grasping,  digging  spirit  in  any  minister  will  hardly 
be  gratified. 

Ever}^  church  should  have  a  pastor  who  should  preach  to 
that  church  every.  Sunday.  It  is  a  most  serious  mistake  to 
have  preaching  only  once  a  month,  and  it  is  a  worse  mistake 
for  one  minister  to  have  often  as  many  churches  to  serve  as 
there  are  Sundays  in  each  month.  There  is  little  or  no  growth 
in  such  churches.  As  a  rule,  the  people  are  running  astray, 
and  I  doubt  if  there  is  a  more  serious  error  in  the  management 
of  our  churches  (country  churches,  as  well  as  city  churches,  if 
you  please)  than  that  of  having  preaching  once  a  month,  thus 
making  it  possible  for  one  minister  to  serve  two  or  three  bodies. 
Look  into  this  a  little,  and  we  shall  not  be  long  in  discovering 
that  the  laborers  are  not  quite  so  scarce  as  to  require  this 
practice,  and  that  there  are  many  worthy  christian  men  who 
would  show  themselves  qualified  to  preach  to  these  churches,  if 
given  a  chance.  The  trouble  lies,  I  believe,  in  the  fact  that 
they  do  not  wish  and  will  not  support  a  pastor.  They  prefer 
that  three  churches  undertake  the  work  of  supporting  one 
minister  to  having  one  church  do  that  same  work.  Liberality 
is  what  is  needed. 

The  apostle  said:  "But  we  will  give  ourselves  continually  to 
prayer,  and  to  the  ministry  of  the  word." 

Paul  said :  "  Even  so  hath  the  Lord  ordained  that  they  which 
preach  the  gospel  should  live  of  the  gospel."  Or,  "I  only  and 
Barnabas,  have  not  we  power  to  forbear  working?  Who  goeth 
a  warfare  any  time  at  his  own  charges?  Who  planteth  a 
vineyard,  and  eateth  not  of  the  fruit  thereof?  Or  who  feedeth 
a  flock,  and  eateth  not  of  the  milk  of  the  flock  ?  Say  I  these 
things  as  a  man?  Or  saith  not  the  law  the  same,  also?  For 
it  is  written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  Thou  shalt  not  muzzle  the 
mouth  of  the  ox  that  treadeth  out  the  corn.  Doth  God  take  care 
for  oxen?  Or  saith  He  it  altogether  for  our  sakes?  For  our 
sakes,  no  doubt,  this  is  written:  that  he  that  ploweth  should 
plow  in  hope;  and  he  that  thresheth  in  hope  should  be  par- 
taker of  His  hope." — I.  Cor.,  ix,  6-10.  "Have  I  committed  an 
offense  in  abasing  myself  that  you  might  be  exalted,  because  I 
have  preached  to  you  the  gospel  of  God  freely?  I  robbed  other 
churches,  taking  wages  of  them,  to  do  you  service.  But  I  rejoice 
in  the  Lord  greatly,  that  now  at  the  last  your  care  of  me  hath 


African  Baptist   Church.  291 

flourished  again :  wherein  ye  were  also  careful,  but  ye  lacked  op- 
portunity. Not  that  I  speak  in  respect  of  want:  for  I  have  learned 
in  whatever  state  I  am,  therewith  to  be  content.  Notwithstand- 
ing ye  have  well  done,  that  ye  did  communicate  with  my  afflic- 
tion. Now  ye  Phillipians  know  also,  that  in  the  beginning  of 
the  gospel,  when  I  departed  from  Macedonia,  no  church  com- 
municated with  me  as  concerning  giving  and  receiving,  but  ye 
only.  For  even  in  Thessalonica  ye  sent  once  and  again  unto 
my  necessity.  Not  because  I  desire  a  gift: ,  but  I  desire  fruit 
that  may  abound  to  your  account  as  a  sacrifice  acceptable,  well 
pleasing  to  God."' 

You  will  observe  that  these  scriptures  fully  demonstrate  that 
a  pastor  must  be  supported — supported  by  the  church  to  which 
he  preaches.  No  member  of  a  Baptist  church  who  wishes  to 
do  his  full  duty,  can  read  these  scriptures  and  not  feel  that  he 
violates  the  commands  of  God,  if  he  does  not.  to  the  extent  of 
his  ability,  aid  in  the  support  of  the  pastor  of  the  church  to 
which  he  belongs.  It  is  the  experience  of  every  church,  that  a 
few  liberal  members  bear  all  the  burden  in  the  support  of  the 
church.  The  young  members,  somehow,  think  they  might 
spend  their  earnings  in  every  other  way,  and  for  every  other 
conceivable  purpose,  than  that  of  helping  to  sustain  the  church. 

But  the  pastor  must  visit  all  the  sick  and  distressed,  bury  all 
the  dead,  and  pray  for  all  the  children  and  all  the  sinners  in  a 
communitj*,  the  young  folks  and  old  folks,  and  receive  little  or 
no  salary.  It  is  a  common  practice,  also,  to  give  the  minister 
or  the  church  that  which  we,  ourselves,  do  not  want.  When 
the  month  expires,  the  pastor  wants  his  salary,  as  every  man 
does.  It  takes  as  much  to  maintain  his  family  as  any  other 
family.  He  should  practice  economy,  and  lay  by  some  money, 
as  other  men.  Why  not?  But  that  humble,  and  faithful,  and 
self-sacrificing  minister,  who  does  his  duty  and  gets  little  pay, 
and  whose  family  is  in  sore  need,  is  to  be  prayed  for  and  to  be 
beloved. 

Many  people  have  mistaken  views  with  regard  to  God's  word 
in  its  teachings  on  this  subject.  People  give  in  proportion  as 
they  love.  Love  lies  at  the  base  of  all  christian  giving ;  and  it 
would  be  a  safe  rule  to  measure  a  christian's  love  by  the  wil- 
lingness with  which  he  gives,  and  the  amount  which  he  gives. 
Have  first  the  willingness,  and  secondly  the  industry  and  fru- 
gality, which  will  afford  us  the  means  to  contribute. 

In  Luke,  xxi,  1— t,  we  find  this  passage:  "And  He  (Jesus) 
looked  up,  and  saw  the  rich  men  casting  their  gifts  into  the 
treasury.  And  He  saw  also  a  certain  poor  widow  casting  in 
thither  two  mites.     And  he  said.   Of  a  truth  I  say  unto  you, 


292  History  oj  the  First 


that  this  poor  widow  hath  cast  in  niore  than  they  all :  for  all 
these  have  of  their  abundance  cast  in  unto  the  offerings  of  God : 
but  she  of  her  penury  hath  cast  in  all  the  living  that  she  had." 

"The  first  of  the  fruits  of  thy  land  thou  shalt  bring  into -the 
house  of  the  Lord  thy  God." — Ex.,  xxiii,  19. 

"Alb the  best  of  the  oil,  and  all  the  best  of  the  wine,  and  of 
the  wheat,  the  first  fruits  of  theni  which  they  shall  offer  unto 
the  Lord." — Xuni.,  xviii,  12. 

"And  to  bring  the  first  fruit  of  our  ground,  and  the  first  fruits 
of  all  fruit  of  all  trees,  year  by  year,  unto  the  house  of  the 
Lord." — Xeh.,  x,  35. 

"  But  the  liberal  deviseth  liberal  things ;  and  by  liberal  things 
shall  he  stand." — Isa.,  xxxii,  8. 

These  passages  are  from  the  Old  Testament. 

In  I.  Cor.,  xvi,  2 :  "Upon  the  first  day  of  the  week  let  every 
one  of  you  lay  by  him  in  store,  as  God  hath  prospered  him." 

II.  Cor.,  viii,  12  :  "For  if  there  be  first  a  willing  mind,  it  is 
accepted  according  to  that  a  man  hath,  and  not  according  to 
that  he  hath  not." 

II.  Cor.,  ix,  7:  "Every  man  as  he  purposeth  in  his  heart,  so 
let  him  give ;  not  grudgingly,  or  of  necessity :  for  God  loveth  a 
cheerful  giver." 

Just  one  word  more. 

"Take  heed,  and  beware  of  covetousness;  for  a  man's  life  con- 
sisteth  not  in  the  abundance  of  the  things  which  he  possesseth." 

From  these  passages  we  ought  to  see  our  duty  to  the  pastor, 
to  the  church  and  to  Christ.  If  these  do  not  teach  us  our  duty, 
no  further  words  from  me  will. 


DUTY  OF  THE  CHURCH  TO  THE  PASTOE. 

BY  DEACON  R.  H.  THOMAS,  OF  SAVANNAH,  GA. 

What  is  the  duty  of  the  church  to  the  pastor? 

First,  let  us  see  the  relation  between  the  church  and  pastor. 

It  is  said  that  the  pastor's  duty  to  the  church  is  parallel  to 
that  of  the  shepherd  in  the  eastern  country,  whose  duty  it  is  to 
feed  the  sheep,  lift  up  the  fainting,  care  for  the  sick  and 
infirm,  take  up  the  tender  lambs  and  fold  them  in  his  arms.  It 
is  the  duty  of  the  pastor  to  care  for  the  sick  and  bereaved,  and, 
best  of  all.  should  bring  them  a  fresh  supply  for  every  day's  want. 

Therefore,  the  church  being  the  recipient  of  his  labors  of 
love,  it  is  her  duty  to  reciprocate  the  same. 


African  Bajrtist   Church.  298 

Therefore,  the  church  is  under  many  obligations  to  her 
pastor,  because  he  is  a  messenger  sent  from  God.  and  ought  to 
be  so  regarded  by  the  church  and  the  community  at  large.  It 
is  the  duty  of  the  church  to  seek  of  its  pastor  spiritual  instruc- 
tion. The  church  should  regard  him  as  her  spiritual  director, 
and  show  her  appreciation  of  the  instructions  given,  by  putting 
them  into  practice.  It  is  also  her  duty  to  seek  spiritual  guid- 
ance of  him,  not  only  for  herself,  but  also  for  others. 

It  is  not  the  duty  of  the  church  to  attempt  to  teach  him.  but 
to  be  taught  of  him.  He  is  supposed  to  be  God's  representa- 
tive, acting  and  pleading  for  God.  Hence,  it  is  her  duty  to 
obey  and  be  governed,  and  not  to  govern. 

It  seems  to  be  prevalent  to-day  that  nine-tenths  of  the 
churches  attempt  to  dictate,  to  lead  and  teach  their  pastors,  and 
not  to  be  led.  Two-thirds  of  the  church  troubles  of  to-day  arise 
from  just  such  causes.  It  is  also  the  indispensable  duty  of  the 
church  to  watch  carefully  against  caucusing  parties  against  the 
pastor.  Sometimes  the  truth  becomes  too  strong  to  be  tol- 
erated by  some  of  the  members.  I  am  sorry  to  say  so,  but  it 
is  found  to  be  true.  Sometimes  he  is  too  strict  for  the  commit- 
tee on  finance;  sometimes  the  trustees  will  not  work,  because 
they  can  not  do  as  they  please,  and  too  often  the  deacons,  like 
Peter,  want  to  fight,  because  they  cannot  invite  their  Mends  to 
preach  at  their  will  in  the  pastor's  pulpit. 

Sometimes  when  the  pastor  is  from  home  laboring  for  the 
church  in  some  way  or  other  there  comes  along  a  preacher,  if 
you  please,  and  you  get  him  to  preach  once  or  twice,  and  he 
wants  the  pastorate  right  away.  He  has  gained  a  few  friends 
and  now  he  wants  the  church. 

There  is  another  class  of  preachers  in  the  church  who  are 
too  lazy  to  work  up  for  themselves  a  congregation.  Watching 
the  pastor,  hoping  that  he  may  soon  get  sick  and  die,  so  as  to 
take  his  place.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  church  to  guard  her  pas- 
tor in  all  of  these  points,  and  to  see  to  it  that  all  of  the  imple- 
ments necessary  for  the  discharge  of  his  duty  be  put  within  his 
reach,  that  the  best  men  be  selected  out  of  its  number  to  serve 
as  deacons,  as  trustees,  and  good,  honest  men  for  the  committee 
on  finance — meu  that  do  not  have  tar  on  their  fingers  nor  leaks 
in  their  hands,  if  so,  the  pastor  will  starve  and  the  church  go 
down.  She  should  select  as  deacons  men  that  will  fill  the  office 
as  the  original  calling  would  indicate,  giving  active  service  to 
both  church  and  pastor.  When  they  fail  to  do  so,  whether  it 
is  by  inability  or  duty  neglected,  they  ought  to  at  once  be  re- 
moved and  their  places  filled  by  others.  Let  me  urge  this  point, 
that  it  is  one  of  the  highest  duties  of  the  church  to  its  pastor 


29Jf  History  of  the  First 


that  the  best  qualified  men  be  chosen  to  labor  with  the  pastor, 
both  for  the  good  of  the  pastor  and  the  good  of  the  church,  and 
for  the  advancement  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  on  earth — 
men  who  are  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  blessed  with  the  happy 
grace  of  self-denial  for  the  cause  of  Christ. 

It  is  also  her  duty  to  see  that  the  pastor  has  sufficient  light ; 
that  is,  books,  and  a  good  choir  that  will  give  music  for  his 
help.  The  church  should  pay  her  pastor  promptly.  ISTo  church 
ought  to  pay  off  its  pastor  in  promises,  but  rather  pay  him  his 
salary  as  contracted;  for  the  Bible  tells  us,  "He  that  laboreth 
at  the  altar  shall  also  partake  of  the  things  of  the  altar ;"  "  the 
laborer  is  worthy  of  his  meat;"  don't  muzzle  the  ox  that 
treadeth  over  the  corn. 

It  is  also  found  in  the  covenant  of  the  church,  "  That  we  will 
strive  together  for  the  support  of  a  faithful,  evangelical  minis- 
try among  us."  These  are  the  teachings  of  the  Bible,  the 
"book  of  books,"  which  has  God  for  its  author,  salvation  for  its 
end,  and  truth,  unmixed  with  error,  for  its  matter. 

I  believe  that  most  of  you  are  familiar  with  the  science  of 
agriculture,  and  hence  will  agree  with  me  that  in  order  to  reap 
a  liberal  harvest,  three  things  are  necessary : 

1.  Good  ground. 

2.  Good  seed. 

3.  Faithful  work. 

Let  us  say  that  the  church  is  the  good  ground,  the  work  the 
good  seed,  and  the  pastor  the  worker,  while  we  all  join  him. 
We  are  to  hold  up  the  pastor's  hands  while  he  wrestles  with 
God  and  we  contend  with  the  enemy.  Hence,  the  church  can 
not  and  must  not  become  inactive,  because  of  its  good  name. 
The  pastor  cannot  live  on  the  church's  good  name.  He  must 
be  cared  for  as  other  men.  It  is  true  love  to  see  his  faults.  The 
church  that  loves  her  pastor  truly  sees  his  faults,  and  ought  to 
make  them  known  to  him  in  a  loving,  christian  way.  I  believe 
that  it  is  also  the  duty  of  the  church  to  watch  her  pastor  with 
the  eye  of  christian  love;  not  only  to  guard,  but  also  pray  for 
him,  that  he  be  able  to  better  discharge  his  duties.  The  Bible 
tells  us  that  while  Peter  was  in  prison,  the  church  met  and 
prayed  for  him,  and  that  while  they  were  yet  praying  he  was 
delivered  unto  them. 

It  is  also  the  church's  indispensable  duty  to  watch  her  pastor 
with  a  spiritual  eye,  both  for  her  own  good  and  the  good  of  the 
community  at  large,  and  to  see  that  he  does  not  divert  from  the 
path  of  virtue,  love  and  truth.  So  soon  as  he  desecrates  his 
high  calling,  it  is  the  duty  of  the  church  to  leave  him  to  him- 
self until  he  repents. 


African  Baptist   Church.  295 

One  of  the  great  evils  of  our  day,  that  has  destroyed  so  many 
of  our  churches,  is  that  the  church  puts  sympathy  in  the  place 
of  justice  in  some  of  the  blackest  crimes.  Sympathy  has  pre- 
dominated in  the  face  of  right,  and  it  is  more  frequently  prac- 
ticed in  the  little  country  churches,  where  the  people  depend 
upon  a  few  leaders  for  light.  Once  the  pastor  gets  himself 
into  the  sympathies  of  the  church,  he  feels  himself  safe  to 
carry  her  to  honor  or  down  to  shame,  at  his  will.  It  is  the 
duty  of  the  church  to  guard  against  this  evil. 

There  is  a  man  who  meets  his  friend  while  on  his  way  to 
church,  and  asks  him  to  go  with  him  to  church.  "  No."  says  his 
friend,  "I  do  not  wish  to  go."  ''Why  not?"  "Well,  because 
every  time  I  go  to  church,  since  I  and  the  preacher  fell  out.  he 
takes  his  text  on  me,  and  when  he  ends,  he  ends  on  me.  When 
I  go  to  church  I  want  to  hear  the  gospel  preached  to  me,  and 
that  will  make  us  better,  if  anything  will,  and  not  be  picking 
at  me,  because  I  cannot  answer  him  back. 

Let  it  be  known  that  it  is  the  duty  of  the  church  to  have  a 
pastor  who  knows  the  gospel,  and  not  only  knows  it  but  will 
preach  it  at  all  times  and  under  all  circumstances. 

Our  blessed  Lord  said :  •'  When  I  am  lifted  up  I  will  draw  all 
men  unto  me."  St.  Paul  also  said:  "I  desire  to  know  nothing 
among  you  save  Christ  and  Him  crucified." 

The  churches  of  this  age  want  men  to  know  the  Bible,  and 
that  will  teach  the  Bible,  and  not  only  teach  but  also  let  the 
Bible  be  the  rule  of  their  lives.  This  age  of  progress  demands 
money  and  an  enlightened  ministry,  and  the  ministry  is  demand- 
ing better  pay  and  better  treatment. 


WHAT  IS  OLE  DUTY  TO  THE  INSTITUTIONS  OF 
THE  COUNTRY? 

BY  PROF.  H.  L.  WALKER,  AUGUSTA,  GA. 

Mr.  Chairman  and  Honored  Sirs: 

The  question  which  your  committee  has  assigned  me  for  treat- 
ment at  this  hour  is  one  which  so  impresses  me  with  its  pro- 
fundity that  all  of  my  powers  are  invoked  to  impress  you  with 
its  importance.  In  the  midst  of  this  nineteenth  century,  an 
age  of  religious  tolerance  and  denominational  activity ;  an  age 
when  Christendom  is  at  rest,  and  not  convulsed  by  the  throes 
and  horrors  of  a  French  revolution,  or  the  ascendency  of 
Catholicism  over  Protestantism ;  an  age  when  all  denomina- 
tions are  energetic,  and  seeking  by  conquest  to  make  proselytes 


296  History  of  the  First 


of  the  Gentiles  by  planting  every  corner  of  the  globe  with  their 
emissaries ;  an  age  when  a  desire  to  open  up  commercial  inter- 
course with  the  unexplored  heathen  lands  is  screened  behind 
the  efforts  of  the  various  denominations  to  plant  missionaries ; 
yea,  at  a  time  when  pious,  well  informed  christian  young  men 
and  women  are  in  demand — it  is  in  the  midst  of  such  circum- 
stances and  under  such  influences  that  I  find  it  impossible  to 
suppress  the  interrogation,  "What  is  our  duty  toward  the  Bap- 
tist institutions  of  our  country?"  In  this  centennial  year  of 
the  colored  Baptists  of  Georgia,  and  at  this  very  moment,  I 
hail  this  occasion  as  one  for  veneration  and  congratulation,  to 
stand  in  the  presence  of  these  old  fathers  and  time-honored 
Baptist  veterans,  to  whom  the  solution  of  this  question  is  an 
issue  of  most  vital  concern. 

The  first  duty  we  owe,  therefore,  to  our  Baptist  institutions 
is  to  see  that  they  are  officered  by  a  faculty  of  christian  men 
and  women  thoroughly  indoctrinated  in  Baptist  principles  and 
possessing  a  high  order  of  intellectual  ability,  and  that  general 
fitness  for  the  profession  of  which  allows  no  embarrassment 
when  they  are  thrown  into  competition  with  the  other  denomi- 
national and  educational  institutions  of  our  country.  Such  an 
institution,  so  officered,  and  so  planted  upon  the  hill  top  of 
Georgia,  will  be  like  the  handful  of  corn  upon  the  top  of  the 
mountain,  yea,  it  will  serve  as  a  sentinel  at  the  doors  of  ignor- 
ance, and  the  matured  fruits  thereof  shall  shake  like  Lebanon 
dispensing  their  heavenly  benedictions  throughout  the  land. 

All  institutions  must  grow  or  they  will  retrograde  into  obso- 
lete insignificance.  A  grain  of  corn  must  be  brought  in  con- 
tact with  the  elements  of  the  fertile  soil,  receive  the  farmer's 
cultivation  and  care,  receive  the  fruitful  seasons  and  the  early 
dews  from  heaven  before  we  are  permitted  to  behold  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  shoot,  the  stalk,  the  blade  and  the  full  fruitage 
of  golden  corn.  The  benefactions  accruing  from  our  Baptist 
institutions  are  not  unlike  the  grain  of  corn  in  the  needs  and 
dependence  for  parental  care  as  they  move  from  the  stage  of 
incipiency  into  that  of  efficient  manhood. 

That  we  may  be  the  better  instructed  as  to  our  duty  toward 
our  Baptist  institutions,  let  us  ask  ourselves  the  questions, 
"How  stand  our  schools,  and  what  influence  are  they  exercis- 
ing throughout  the  United  States?" 

.  According  to  the  educational  report  of  Dr.  Henry  L.  Moor- 
house,  we  have  denominational  schools  planted  at  Washington, 
D.  C;  at  Richmond,  Va.;  at  Raleigh,  1ST.  C;  Columbia,  S.  C; 
Atlanta,  in  Georgia;  at  Live  Oak,  in  Florida;  Selma,  in  Ala- 
bama ;  at  Nashville,  in  Tennesse ;  at  Louisville,  in  Kentucky ; 


African  Baptist   Church.  297 

Natchez,  in  Mississippi ;  New  Orleans,  in  Louisiana ;  Marshall, 
in  Texas,  and  at  Tahlequah,  in  the  Indian  Territory.  All  of 
these  schools  are  doing  ninch  to  materialize  that  portion  of  the 
Master's  vineyard  in  which  they  are  most  fortunately  planted. 
But  noticeable  among  them  in  efficiency  and  utility,  we  can 
point  with  pride  to  the  Wayland  Seminary,  at  Washington,  the 
Shaw  University,  at  Raleigh ;  the  Roger  Williams  University ; 
the  Spellman  and  Atlanta  Baptist  Seminaries,  both  of  which  are 
situated  at  Atlanta.  These  institutions  are  sending  hundreds 
of  trained  young  men  and  women  into  all  the  avenues  of  life, 
and,  as  teachers,  ministers,  mechanics  and  master-hands  in 
the  different  professions,  they  take  very  enviable  rank,  and  the 
presence  of  this  august,  venerable  and  grave  assemblage  of 
Baptists,  with  the  men  and  women  trained  at  our  schools 
prominent  among  its  leaders,  claim  this  to  be  ample  attestation 
of  the  fact  that  our  schools  are  doing  a  work  that  shall  yet  tell 
in  ages — tell  for  God. 

Again,  we  must  congratulate  ourselves  upon  the  fact  that  all 
these  institutions  are  located  in  the  South,  where  colored  Bap- 
tists propagate,  promulgate  and  multiply  in  a  ten-fold  ratio. 
They  are  placed,  as  it  were,  at  our  doors  in  easy  access  to  all  of 
our  Baptist  families.  Such  is  the  advantage  of  the  present  age 
over  the  past.  But  with  all  of  these  advantages,  we  must  yet 
ask  the  question,  have  these  institutions  done  all  they  could, 
and  if  not,  what  is  still  our  duty  toward  the  Baptist  institutions 
of  our  country  ? 

One  of  the  primal  duties  of  the  Baptists  of  Georgia  is  to  sup- 
ply our  well-equipped  institutions  with  a  larger  amount  of  raw 
material,  in  the  shape  of  untutored  boys  and  girls  hailing  from 
Baptist  families. 

The  newest  statistical  reports  give  to  our  State  above  166,000 
Baptists.  Let  us  suppose  one-tenth  of  this  mighty  array  is 
composed  of  Baptist  children,  and  we  shall  have  above  16,000 
Baptist  children  to  fill  our  universities  and  seminaries. 

Again,  according  to  this  census,  the  school  population  of  the 
State  of  Georgia  alone  was  520,416.  It  is  reasonable  and  fair 
to  suppose  that  the  children  from  Baptist  families  constitute  at 
least  one-tenth  of  the  school  population,  and  we  should  have 
for  our  institutions  above  52,000  Baptist  children.  Suffer  me  to 
advance  still  another  supposition.  Suppose  circumstances  ren- 
dered it  possible  and  practicable  for  but  half  of  this  16,000  chil- 
dren to  attend  our  seminaries,  we  should  then  have  8,000  children 
growing  up  at  the  feet  of  Baptist  Gamaliels,  learning  wisdom. 

But  the  facts  show  in  regard  to  the  education  of  our  boys  and 
girls  that  at  the  Baptist  Seminary  this  scholastic  year,  about 


298  History  of  the  First 


150  pupils  were  enrolled.  At  the  Spellrnan  the  enrollment 
reached  600  girls ;  in  all  about  750  pupils  at  our  two  schools. 
Not  1,000  boj^s  and  girls  in  our  Georgia  institutions.  Where 
are  the  Baptist  children  of  our  State?  Is  it  not  possible  that 
more  can  be  done  to  fill  our  seminaries?  Fathers,  mothers,  and 
lovers  of  this  glorious  cause,  we  are  in  a  large  measure  respon- 
sible for  the  attendance  at  our  schools. 

In  the  United  States  there  are  18,000,000  children  of  school 
age.  As  Baptists,  let  us  see  to  it  that  a  fair  and  substantial 
number  of  this  throng  is  captured  by  our  denominational 
schools.  But,  venerable  sirs,  our  institutions  will  not  stand 
alone,  if  they  are  not  fostered  by  the  maternal  care  of  that 
people  by  whom  and  for  whom  they  were  created.  And  in 
order  that  their  years  may  be  crowned  with  goodness,  and  that 
their  paths  may  flourish  and  drop  fatness,  so  that  they  may  be 
potentialities,  energizing  the  communities  in  which  they  are 
planted,  the  chief  articles  of  sustenance  which  they  need  to 
strengthen  their  vitality  are  dollars  and  prayers.  Dollars,  in 
order  that  the  temporal  prerequisites  and  the  wants  of  the 
physical  may  be  fully  met;  prayers,  in  order  that  divine 
unction  from  heaven  may  be  distilled,  like  early  dews,  to  bless 
the  efforts  which  our  schools  and  seminaries  are  putting  forth, 
to  garner  in  a  large  harvest  for  the  Baptist  church  and  for  God. 
And  may  we  not  conjecture  that  when  the  great  day  of  reck- 
oning shall  come,  when  the  quick  and  the  dead  shall  stand 
before  the  Great  Judge,  to  have  their  records  reviewed,  may  we 
not  indulge  the  conjecture  that  denominations,  as  well  as  indi- 
viduals, shall  be  held  accountable  for  the  work  they  have  done? 

Let  it  not  be  said  of  us :  ''You  wicked  and  slothful  Baptists, 
depart  from  me."  Many  of  our  churches  are  calling  for  trained 
ministers,  deeply  steeped  in  all  scriptural  knowledge,  and  with 
an  appointment  from  above.  For  such  a  class  of  workers  the 
demand  is  far  greater  than  the  supply.  As  Baptists,  let  us 
train  up  a  greater  supply  of  ministerial  timber.  The  hour  is  at 
hand  when  many  of  our  churches  are  calling  for  a  better- 
informed  ministry.  Yea,  the  things  and  empty  customs  of  the 
past  have  passed  away.  And  the  present,  with  all  its  modern 
demands,  is  upon  us.  These  recruits  to  our  ministerial  ranks 
must  file  in  from  our  schools.  Each  Sunday  school,  each 
church,  each  benevolent  society  should  be  interested  in  some 
worthy  and  promising  member,  or  members,  of  their  organiza- 
tion, and  shoulder  the  responsibility  of  sending  them  to  our 
seminaries,  and  furnishing  them  with  a  liberal  supply  of  dollars 
and  prayers.  It  is  only  in  this  way  that  the  latent  elements 
are  to  be  drawn  out. 


African  Baptist  Church.  299 

A  larger  number  of  our  girls  and  young  women  must  be 
entered  at  our  schools,  so  that  from  there  shall  spring  up  larger 
numbers  of  well-ordered,  well-regulated  christian  families,  that 
shall  render  very  substantial  aid  in  making  the  civilization  of 
this  nineteenth  century  the  grandest  that  the  pages  of  history 
have  yet  beheld;  for  woman,  in  her  sphere,  is  like  a  diamond 
in  the  jeweled  crown  of  a  King,  and  a  civilization  without  her 
work  is  woefuhy,  grossly  incomplete.  Our  Sunday  school  and 
our  secular  need  the  work  of  our  trained  young  women,  and 
these  must  come  from  our  seminaries.  Hence,  arises  the 
imperative  duty  of  sending  our  girls  to  our  schools,  and  supply- 
ing them  with  a  full  quota  of  dollars  and  praj^ers.  Our  insti- 
tutions of  learning  are  our  "  lambs,"  which,  in  Holy  Writ,  we 
are  enjoined  to  feed. 

Prominent  among  the  reasons  which  make  it  imperatively 
necessary  for  us  to  guard  with  a  zealous  care  the  education  of  our 
children,  is  the  fact  that  all  the  other  denominations  are  energetic 
in  christianizing  the  world  in  the  tenets  of  their  individual  dog- 
mas, and  their  missionaries  are  finding  their  way  from  pole  to 
pole  and  from  sea  to  sea.  It  is  this  denominational  competi- 
tion which  must  energize  all  and  give  vivacity  to  our  trade. 
Shall  we  lie  supinely  by  and  refuse  to  send  laborers  into  the 
Master's  vineyard  to  possess  the  land?  Let  us  not  be  deluded, 
sirs,  with  the  siren  songs  of  such  culpable  inactivit}7.  We  can 
not  afford  it.  In  the  evening  of  this  nineteenth  century  the 
Congregationalists,  Presbyterians,  Methodists  and  Catholics 
have  their  denominational  schools  planted  all  over  this  Union 
and  thronging  with  numbers  as  they  vie  with  each  other  in 
legitimate  warfare  for  the  mastery  of  the  world.  The  footholds 
that  the  Catholics  are  gaining  in  this  country  draws  the  most 
serious  apprehension  and  the  profoundest  concern,  and  these 
demonstrations  are  not  only  energetic  but  they  are  surprisingly 
sagacious  and  diplomatic.  The  Catholics  of  to-day  have  much 
to  do  with  the  body  politic  and  the  shaping  of  American  poli- 
tics. The  President  of  the  United  States  has  just  sent  to  the 
Pope  of  Rome  a  present  in  the  shape  of  the  constitution.  This 
act  of  recognition  of  the  Pope  has  no  small  significance. 

In  this  literary  convention  among  the  leading  denominations 
of  the  world  let  not  the  great  Baptist  family  of  this  country 
seem  remiss  in  planting  her  schools  upon  every  hill  top  and 
in  every  vale,  so  that  they  may  tower  toward  heaven  with  good- 
ness and  may  herald  the  dawn  of  the  millennium  on  earth 
among  men  when  God's  kingdom  shall  be  fully  come  and  His 
will  performed  in  their  hearts. 

20 


300  History  of  the  First 


Finally,  using  our  schools  as  a  powerful  instrument,  our 
denominational  family  is  to  wage  an  uncompromising  war  with 
superstition,  beat  back  the  forces  of  Paganism  and  make 
religious  conquests  in  China,  in  Japan,  in  Asia,  in  Africa,  and 
even  in  Rome,  the  very  heart  of  Catholicism.  When  we 
remember  that  of  the  one  thousand  and  four  hundred  millions 
of  souls  belonging  to  the  human  family  only  one-fourth  of  them 
profess  the  christian  religion,  and  when  it  is  remembered 
Mohammedanism,  with  its  sword  and  its  Koran  as  the  ensign  of 
its  power,  holds  powerful  sway  in  the  southwestern  part  of  Asia 
and  a  large  part  of  Africa;  yea,  when  our  missionaries  in 
foreign  fields  must  admit  the  fact  that  the  followers  of  Buddisrn 
and  Brahminism  comprise  more  than  one-fourth  of  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  globe,  and  that  the  Roman  Catholics,  with  their 
order  of  Jesuits  overrunning  every  portion  of  Africa  to  which 
they  can  gain  access,  then  you  will  not  fail  to  be  impressed 
with  the  magnitude  of  the  obligation  which  lies  at  the  doors  of 
Christianity,  and  how  herculean  must  be  the  efforts  on  the  part 
of  the  Baptists  of  this  country  to  subdue  and  supersede  the 
various  forms  of  pagan  religion  as  they  flourish  in  heathen 
lands. 

Christianity  alone  is  responsible  for  the  subjugation  and  the 
checking  of  the  spread  of  these  empty  relics  of  heathen  worship, 
and  reclaiming  the  world  for  Christ.  And,  my  honored  Bap- 
tist fathers  and  veterans,  may  this  centennial  celebration  be 
to  us  as  the  great  day  of  Pentecost,  the  tarrying  at  Jerusalem, 
as  our  Mecca,  until  we  shall  be  endowed  with  wisdom  from  on 
high,  and  then,  from  this  point  as  a  century,  let  us  radiate, 
with  a  view  to  making  conquests  at  home  and  abroad,  and  with 
this  motto  "The  World  Must  Be  Ours." 

"From  Greenland's  icy  mountains, 

From  India's  coral  strand, 
Where  Afric's  sunny  fountains 

Roll  down  the  golden  sand ; 
From  many  an  ancient  river, 

From  many  a  palmy  plain. 
They  call  us  to  deliver 

Their  land  from  errors'  chain." 


African  Baptist  Church.  301 


THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  PURE  BAPTIST  LITERATURE. 

BY  REV.  E.  P.  JOHNSON,  PASTOR  CALVARY  BAPTIST  CHURCH, 
MADISON,  GA. 

Says  a  noted  writer:  "Literature  is,  excluding  the  recorded 
knowledge  of  positive  science,  the  entire  result  of  knowledge 
and  fancy  preserved  in  writing.  Literature  proper  is  addressed 
to  man  as  man,  and  is  catholic,  universal,  not  exclusive. 

The  importance  of  literature  is  very  apparent  to  all  thinking 
minds.  What  the  mighty  rivers  and  water  courses  of  a  country 
are  to  its  fertility,  productiveness  and  prosperity,  that  literature 
is  to  the  inhabitants  thereof.  Indeed,  we  might  liken  the  great 
thinkers  and  writers  of  any  age,  country  or  clime  to  high  hills 
and  lofty  mountains  from  whose  bases  flow  the  clear,  sparkling, 
limpid,  crystal  streams  of  literature  to  elevate,  enlighten  and 
instruct  the  minds  of  the  people,  to  make  glad  their  hearts  and 
to  better  their  condition  financially,  mentally  and  spiritually. 

What  the  silver,  twinkling  stars  are  to  the  natural  world, 
that  literature  is  to  the  mental  and  spiritual  world.  The 
student  of  the  world's  history  looks  back  to  the  time  when  the 
world  as  to  literature  was  as  dark,  gloomy  and  foreboding  as 
the  heavens  at  night  would  be  without  a  single  star.  Each 
religious  denomination,  each  political  party  and  each  section  of 
all  enlightened  countries  show  their  appreciation  of  what  they 
call  pure  literature  by  establishing  and  supporting  papers,  jour- 
nals and  periodicals  proclaiming  and  advoc  ating  their  respect- 
ive views. 

We  must  now  hasten  to  the  discussion  of  the  subject  under 
consideration.  By  pure  Baptist  literature  is  meant  the  writings 
of  eminent  Baptist  scholars  in  prose  and  poetiy  touching  Bap- 
tist faith  and  Baptist  views. 

1.  It  is  very  important  to  have  pure  Baptist  literature,  to 
show  and  demonstrate  that  we  are  the  only  New  Testament 
church  on  the  face  of  the  globe,  and  thereby  proving  our  iden- 
tity with  the  apostolic  church,  and  our  right,  therefore,  to  exist 
as  a  separate  and  distinct  denomination,  and  "  contend  earnestly 
for  the  faith  once  delivered  unto  the  saints." 

2.  By  New  Testament  church  is  meant  a  church  ruled  and 
governed  according  to  Christ's  teaching  and  that  of  His  imme- 
diate followers,  and  whose  offices  are  such  as  accord  therewith. 
In  order  to  show  this  great  fact,  it  is  very  important  to  have 
pure  Baptist  literature,  to  present  to  the  world  our  distinct 
tenets  and  doctrines  in  clear  and  unmistakable  terms,  and  yet 


302  History  of  the  First 


in  so  simple  language  that  the  most  illiterate  may  understand 
them.  In  the  second  place,  it  is  very  important  to  have  pure 
Baptist  literature,  to  prove  the  unbiblical  stand  taken  by  other 
denominations,  and  to  show  the  errors  in  their  tenets  and  doc- 
trines, and  the  great  evils  resulting  therefrom ;  to  show  the  rise 
of  popes  and  bishops,  the  sprinkling  and  pouring  of  adults  and 
infants,  and  their  attendant  train  of  evils.  These  innovations 
create  new  positions,  these  positions  give  new  authority,  un- 
warranted by  the  Holy  Scriptures;  the  suppression  of  per- 
sonal liberty,  because  man  was  not  allowed  to  reason  or  think 
for  himself;  finally  there  was  a  union  of  state  and  church,  and 
at  last  came  the  dark  ages,  that  hung  for  many  centuries  like 
the  appalling  darkness  of  Egypt. 

3.  We  need  to  have  Baptist  literature  to  help  conquer  the 
world  for  our  blessed  Master.  We  need  it  to  help  herald  the 
glad  tidings  of  the  rich,  free  and  glorious  gospel  of  Jesus,  the 
Christ.  The  walls  of  China  have  fallen ;  the  interior  of  Africa 
is  being  explored;  the  heathen  gods  are  tottering  on  their 
thrones.  Mexico,  handicapped  for  centuries  by  priesthood,  is 
crying  for  help  to  break  the  chains.  Cuba  and  the  Isle  of  the 
Sea  are  trying  to  rise  and  throw  off  their  galling  and  oppressive 
yoke.  The  whole  European  continent  is  like  the  great  tempest- 
tossed  sea,  that  cannot  rest.  All  of  these  circumstances  and 
events  are  calling  in  thunder  tones  for  pure  Baptist  literature 
to  help  solve  the  problems  of  the  world. 

4.  In  the  fourth  place,  the  Baptist  being  the  only  aggressive 
denomination  that  has  no  taint,  no  savor  of  Roman  Catholicism 
about  her  garment,  like  some  lofty  mountain  detached  from  all 
others,  she  stands  alone,  towering  up  through  the  centuries,  and 
at  the  same  time,  like  some  lighthouse  by  the  deep,  dark  seas 
of  human  woes  and  human  depravity,  sending  forth  the  clear 
electric  light  of  God's  word,  saying  to  poor  lost  man :  "  This  is 
the  way  the  King  of  glory  went;  follow  Him." 

5.  We  need  pure  Baptist  literature  to  help  mold  and  shape 
public  opinion,  and  thereby  help  to  give  to  the  world  laws  and 
governments  for  the  betterment  of  man. 

Be  it  ever  remembered  that  these  United  States,  the  greatest, 
the  grandest  and  freest  country  on  the  face  of  the  globe,  owes 
its  greatness  to  the  Baptist  idea  of  civil  and  religious  liberty. 
The  Puritans,  with  all  their  purity,  with  all  their  love  of  God 
and  man,  with  all  their  longings  and  struggles  for  freedom  to 
worship  God  according  to  the  dictates  of  their  own  consciences, 
were  not  willing  to  accord  the  same  privileges  to  others.  This 
was  because  they  were  laboring  under  the  smoke  and  cloud  of 
the  Church  of  England.     The  Baptist  church  may  be  considered 


African  Baptist  Church.  303 

the  church  of  the  people,  for  the  people,  and  by  the  people, 
under  the  direction  of  Christ,  their  head. 

6.  The  fact  that  we  are  living-  in  an  age  of  progress,  in  an  age 
of  scientific  investigation,  in  an  age  of  schools,  colleges  and 
universities,  in  a  thinking  and  reading  age,  bespeak  the  grave 
importance  of  pure  Baptist  literature. 

The  day  is  coming,  and  I  think  I  see  its  dawning  in  the  near 
future,  when  the  great  mass  of  common  people  will  read  and 
think  for  themselves,  unbiased  by  the  commands  of  bishops  or 
the  edicts  of  popes.  Give  this  vast  host  pure  Baptist  literature, 
and  they  will  throw  off  all  forms  and  come  to  the  New  Testa- 
ment idea  of  church  and  worship. 

Come,  blessed  Jesus,  help  us  hasten  forward  the  ushering  in 
of  that  glorious  day,  when  there  shall  be  but  one  flock  and  one 
shepherd. 


THE  WORK  AND  PURITY  OF  THE  CHERCH* 

BY  REV.  HENRY  JACKSON,  OF  AUGUSTA,  GA. 

Dear  Brethren  of  the  Baptist  Family  of  Georgia: 

In  discussing  the  subject  that  has  been  assigned  me  by  your 
committee  on  programme,  I  ask  your  attention  to  James,  ii,  22 : 
"Seest  thou  how  faith  wrought  with  His  works,  and  by  works 
was  faith  made  perfect." 

Here  the  purity  of  the  church  and  its  works  are  indicated. 
The  church  must  first  be  pure  in  its  faith.  If  the  faith  of  the 
church  is  not  pure  its  works  can  not  be,  since  faith  actuates  to 
works.  If  the  church  would  be  pure  in  its  faith  its  doctrines 
around  which  faith  must  twine  must  be  pure.  The  center  of 
the  doctrines  of  the  church  must  be  Christ  crucified.  If  the 
church  would  be  pure  in  its  faith  it  must  cling  eternally  to  this. 
The  church  can  not  be  pure  in  its  faith  if  it  countenances  affini- 
ties. The  church  should  not  tolerate  members  who  believe  in 
and  work  for  societies. 

The  great  subject  of  the  gospel  is  the  history  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  In  this  wonderful  personage  we  have  a  character 
which  stands  alone  in  all  history  the  most  spotless,  the  sub- 
limest,  the  brightest  and  best.  The  life  which  He  led  was  the 
most  wonderful  and  blameless.  The  morality  which  He  taught 
was  the  purest  and  most  elevated.     The  death  which  crowned 

*The  majority  of  the  hearers  being  members  of  some  societies,  this  address  was 
not  enthusiastically  received,  and  Rev.  Jackson  could  not  finish  his  speech  as 
prepared.    This  is  greatly  revised. — Ed. 


WJf.  History  of  the  First 


His  wonderfully  useful  life  was  the  most  shameful,  agonizing, 
and  yet  most  sublime  the  world  has  ever  witnessed.  So 
He  laid  the  pattern  for  all  the  faithful  who  would  in  all  ages 
follow  Him.  He  has  not  led  the  way  into  affinities,  and  how 
dare  His  followers  to  go  into  them  and  covenant  with  unbeliev- 
ers without  His  example.  By  the  power  of  the  example  of 
Christ,  the  triumph  of  His  death,  He  has  laid  the  foundation  of 
a  kingdom  the  working  and  purity  of  which  embraces  the 
strength  and  commands  the  homage  of  every  civilized  nation 
upon  the  globe,  and  against  which  the  powers  of  hell  can  never 
prevail. 

All  the  acts  and  purity  of  Jesus  are  wonderful,  indeed,  and 
hardly  less  wonderful  are  the  purity  and  works  of  the  true 
gospel  church.  Anti-Christs  may  rise  to  annoy  and  destroy 
the  church,  but  it  shall  stand  upon  its  pure  foundation,  upon 
Christ,  the  solid  rock.  The  Baptist  Church  is  the  best  pre- 
pared to  give  the  world  the  pure  gospel,  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  The 
church  is  to  fight  against  impurity,  and,  therefore,  should  itself 
be  pure.  The  church  cannot  be  pure  and  have  fellowship  with 
the  lodge.  The  ministers  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  should  not 
be  members  of  the  lodge,  if  they  want  a  pure  church.  That 
the  lodges  are  sapping  the  very  life  of  the  church,  is  a 
stubborn  fact,  and  that  ministers  are  taking  part  in  them  can- 
not be  denied.  What  can  be  the  object  of  these  societies?  Are 
they  intended  to  glorify  God?  Are  they  of  divine' origin? 
Are  they  auxiliaries  to  the  church  ?  If  so,  who  made  them  thus  ? 
Is  not  the  church  adapted  to  the  wants  of  mankind,  and  is  all 
that  God  wanted  it  to  be?  Has  He  required  help  at  our  hands 
by  organizing  secret  societies?  These  societies  and  the  church 
conflict,  which  is  the  surest  proof  that  the  societies  are  not  di- 
vine, for  there  is  no  conflict  in  divine  institutions.  Govern- 
ment, both  civil  and  ecclesiastic,  are  of  divine  origin,  and  these 
work  together  and  accomplish  different  ends,  but  all  to  the 
good  of  man  and  the  glory  of  God. 

To  claim  that  the  lodge  is  of  divine  origin  is  simply  prepos- 
terous, and  wholly  without  foundation,  as  all  authentic  history 
will  attest.  Since  the  lodge  is  of  human  origin,  it  may  go  be- 
yond the  aims  and  purposes  of  its  originators,  and  be  produc- 
tive of  great  evil ;  for  man  is  a  creature  of  mistakes.  God  alone 
makes  no  mistakes.  Is  the  lodge  the  handmaid  to  the  church  ? 
Is  it  the  friend  of  the  church,  or  is  it  antagonistic  to  the  church? 
Does  the  lodge  promote  the  morals  of  the  people  ?  Does  it  ad- 
vance the  spiritual  interests  of  men?  Does  it  work  in  line  with 
the  church  in  promoting  man's  truest  and  highest  interest,  or 
does  it  antagonize  it?    I  assume,  as  is  universally  admitted, 


African  Baptist   Church.  305 


that  the  purposes  of  the  church  are  right.  I  do  not  design  to 
arraign  the  Almighty  by  so  much  as  a  question  of  its  right  and 
adaptation  to  an  end  worthy  of  its  infinite  Author.  To  antag- 
onize the  church  is  war  upon  the  throne  of  God,  and  rebellion 
against  His  most  righteous  government. 

Masonry  claims  to  be  a  religious  institution.  It  even  claims 
universal  adaptation  to  the  wants  of  man — not  as  the  christian 
religion  and  the  church,  suited  to  all  classes,  climes  and  coun- 
tries— but  adapted  to  all  religions — open  to  receive  Jew,  Gen- 
tile, Greek,  barbarian  and  Turk,  and  mass  them  in  one  con- 
glomeration, without  leavening  them  with  the  leaven  of  righteous- 
ness. It  makes  no  claim  to  christianize.  It  rejects  the  corner- 
stone, elect  and  precious,  upon  which  the  church  of  God  rests. 
It  claims  to  be  religious ;  that  is  all.  As  the  play  of  Hamlet, 
with  Hamlet  left  out,  so  is  the  lodge  christian,  with  Christ  left 
out.  Rejecting  the  only  foundation  of  the  church,  the  antag- 
onism is  appallingly  serious.  The  oaths  required  for  persons  to 
take  in  the  lodges  upon  being  initiated  into  the  different  de- 
grees in  Masonry  is  contrary  to  the  spirit  and  genius  of  Chris- 
tianity. While  I  have  referred  to  Masonry  particularly  as  the 
great  parent  of  all  secret  associations, , my  remarks  are  applica- 
ble to  all  such  secret,  oath-bound  associations.  They  all  im- 
pose an  oath  of  secresy  to  obey  a  code  of  unknown  laws. 

Let  us  consider  the  object  which  the  church  is  seeking  to 
accomplish.  What  does  God  mean  hy  gathering  His  people  and 
organizing  the  church?  Manifestly  to  bring  man  back  to  his 
pristine  allegiance  to  Him,  that  His  throne  might  be  established 
in  the  earth,  and  the  rebellious  subjects  made  to  bow  to  His 
loving  scepter.  He  would  have  prominently  among  these  the 
elevation  of  men,  the  refining  of  their  minds,  giving  them 
very  exalted  views.  To  magnify  the  Lord,  and  to  worship  Him 
in  the  beauty  of  holiness  is  the  work  of  the  church.  The 
church  is  to  exalt  the  glorious  name  of  God  in  the  world,  by 
teaching  the  people  of  God  to  reverence  His  name,  obey  His 
word  and  observe  the  ordinances  of  His  house. 

But  what  says  Masonry?  (See  Mackey's  Manual  of  the 
lodge,  page  57).  "  Speculative  Masonry,  now  known  as  Free 
Masonry,  is  therefore,  the  scientific  application,  and  the  re- 
ligious consecration  of  the  rules  and  principles,  the  technical 
language  and  the  implements  and  materials  of  operative 
masonry  to  the  worship  of  God  as  the  grand  architect  of  the 
universe." 

Israel  in  the  plains  before  Mt.  Sinai's  rugged,  cloud-capped 
summit  did  no  more  idolatrous  and  rebellious  work  in  making 
the  golden  calf  than  is  this  deed  of  Masonry.     It  exalts  iis 


306  History  of  the  First 


rules  above  the  Word  of  God  and  appoints  its  implements,  its 
square  and  compass,  as  symbols  in  the  worship  of  God,  or,  in 
other  words,  it  sets  at  naught  the  teaching  of  God  for  the  com- 
mandment of  men.  This  is  high-handed  wickedness  and  un- 
warranted by  God  or  the  want  of  man.  Masonry  claims  that 
it  is  an  institution  of  God  whose  duty  it  is  to  transmit  the 
miraculous  works  of  God,  that  is,  practically  to  assume  the 
place  of  the  Old  Testament  church,  and  yet  with  such  arrogant 
claim  it  rejects  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  and  exalts  nature  to  a 
supreme  place. 

The  end  sought  by  the  pure  church  is  more  than  the  mere 
literary  or  scientific  or  moral  elevation  of  man.  It  seeks  to 
change  his  heart  and  make  him  a  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus. 
The  church  teaches  perfect  obedience  to  God.  This  requires 
more  than  an  intellectual  or  formal  politeness.  The  church  aims 
to  give  back  to  man  that  he  lost  in  the  fall  by  pointing  him  to 
the  Lamb  of  God  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world. 
This  the  lodge  can  not  do  or  help  to  do.  It  is  not  befitting  for 
members  of  the  church  to  declare  in  the  church  that  salvation 
is  in  none  other  but  Jesus  and  then  go  into  the  lodge  in  the 
presence  of  Jews  and  pagans  and  dare  not  open  their  mouths 
of  Jesus  or  breathe  His  holy  name. 

The  work  of  the  church  comprehends  much  nowadays.  It 
consists  of  bazars,  grab-bags,  neck-tie  festivals,  church  suppers, 
fairs,  cake-walks,  broom  drills,  ice  cream  festivals,  and  I  don't 
know  how  many  other  things.  The  more  attention  that  is 
given  to  the  purity  of  the  church  the  less  use  we  will  have  for 
these  things,  and  money  for  church  work  will  be  raised  from  a 
principle.  Then  shall  the  church  become  the  glory  of  all  the 
earth.  Let  us  guard  the  purity  of  the  church,  and  the  Lord 
grant  us  understanding  in  all  things. 


MONEY  AS  A  FACTOR  IF  CHRISTIANIZING  THE 
WORLD. 

BY  REV.  W.  R.  PETTTFORD,  BIRMINGHAM,  ALA. 

Looking  from  the  preeminence  of  Christianity,  which  it  has 
attained  in  eighteen  hundred  years,  our  eyes  naturally  turn, 
with  marked  eagerness,  in  search  of  those  things  which  have 
contributed  to  so  noted  a  growth.  But  a  few  centuries  ago  the 
world  looked  upon  Christianity  in  its  infancj^.  The  little  group 
of  twelve  disciples,  almost  penniless,  were  faithful  adherents  to 
their  Lord  and  Master,  who  had  not  where  to  lay  His  head. 


African  Baptist  Church.  307 

Notwithstanding  the  great  motive  which  led  the  Lord  to 
leave  heaven  and  come  to  the  earth  to  execute  the  plan  by 
which  man  might  be  saved,  and  notwithstanding  He  had  called 
men  from  among  their  followers,  He  inaugurated  a  system  that 
seemed  as  a  vehicle  to  disseminate  the  power  of  the  gospel  to  all 
the  world.  The  opposition  which  was  met  was  then,  as  now, 
disguised  and  deepty  seated.  Judaism,  which  had  given  birth 
to  Christianity,  positive^  refused  to  give  place  to  the  latter. 
The  high  priests  and  rulers  found  pleasure  in  asking  sharp  ques- 
tions to  entrap  our  Lord.  The  Sanhedrim  sought  not  only  to 
paralyze  the  cause,  but  to  blot  out  the  name  and  influence  of 
Christ.  Their  orders  were  to  Peter  and  John  not  to  preach  or 
teach  in  His  name.  The  lawyers  appeared  in  garbs  of  decep- 
tion, and  loaned  the  aid  of  their  will  to  the  existing  opposition, 
which  threatened  the  overthrow  of  the  blessed  cause.  The 
immorality  of  the  age  served  as  a  great  fort  of  defense  for  the 
cause  of  the  enemy.  But  Christ,  with  His  everlasting  love  for 
fallen  humanity,  and  His  powerful  wa}-  of  demonstrating  it,  as 
in  His  humiliation  at  Bethlehem,  His  zeal  and  energy  as  a  Mis- 
sionary, His  agony  in  Gethsemane  and  His  death  on  the  cross, 
soon  began  to  draw  men  to  him  by  a  powerful  and  silent  in- 
fluence that  the  world  knew  not  of. 

From  these  humble  fishermen  and  the  despised  Nazarene, 
who  gave  their  lives  for  the  cause  they  loved,  has  gone  out  to 
every  nation  the  good  tidings  of  the  way  of  salvation.  And  it 
is  truly  said : 

'■  The  morning  light  is  bi-paking, 

The  darkness  disappears, 
The  sons  of  earth  are  waking 

To  penitential  tears. 
Each  breeze  that  sweeps  the  ocean 

Brings  tidings  from  afar, 
Of  nations  in  commotion, 

Prepared  for  Zion's  war." 

Money,  the  great  commercial  medium  of  the  world,  has  con- 
tributed more  to  the  growth  of  this  cause  than  any  other  known 
article  of  civilization. 

1.  Money  as  a  convenience. — Those  who  obeyed  the  great 
command,  "Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,"  were  de- 
pendent upon  the  commodities  of  civilization  for  the  comforts 
of  the  body,  as  upon  the  Lord  Jesus  for  the  comforts  of  the  soul. 
As  money  is  a  medium  in  the  commercial  world,  it  also  serves 
in  a  similar  capacity  for  the  cause  of  the  religion  which  we  love. 
Bemove  the  monetary  system,  and  that  itself  brings  into  ex- 
istence the  barbaric  system  which  has  had  its  day.  In  building 
the  tabernacle  in  the  wilderness,  the  people  were  required  to 
bring  gold,  silver  and  brass,  not  as  money,  but  as  material, 


308  History  of  the  First 


along  with  the  ram  skins  dyed  red,  and  badger  skins,  and  blue, 
purple,  scarlet  and  fine  linen.  Instead  of  our  taking  up  lumber, 
brick  and  mortar,  when  we  go  to  build  a  house  for  God,  we  use 
money,  with  which  we  may  more  conveniently  do  our  part. 
This  valuable  agent  is  one  of  the  greatest  blessings  God  has 
given  to  man  through  the  hand  of  civilization. 

In  Old  Testament  times  money  both  coined  and  uncoined 
found  its  place  in  the  furtherance  of  salvation.  By  its  use  we 
may  help  the  missionary,  on  both  the  home  and  foreign  fields, 
bringing  souls  to  Christ.  It  brings  to  these  faithful  laborers  of 
the  Lord  the  sympathy  of  their  brethren  in  a  tangible  form— 
for  there  is  no  earthly  sympathy  like  this  for  a  poor,  hungry 
and  naked  missionary.  We  may  sing,  "  From  Greenland's  icy 
mountains,"  or,  "Over  the  ocean  wave,"  and  pour  out  long  ?nd 
elaborate  prayers  for  the  servants  on  the  field,  but  nothing  helps 
him  so  materially  as  to  send  him  money.  Hence  you  see  money 
is  the  scale  upon  which  we  weigh  our  sympathy  for  the  toilers 
of  God.  It  is  the  rule  by  which  we  can  measure  our  devotion 
to  the  cause.  It  is  the  medium  through  which  we  can  express 
our  gratitude  to  God  and  love  for  His  cause,  and  no  man  should 
hesitate  to  lay  down  his  money  for  that  which  his  Master  laid 
down  His  life. 

2.  That  money  is  an  important  factor  in  christianizing  the 
world — the  request  of  our  Lord  that  we  should  give  it,  not 
spasmodically,  but  systematically — The  scripture  gives  us  a 
complete  system  of  raising  money.  God  says  to  us  in  Mai.,  iii, 
10:  "  Bring  ye  all  the  tithes  into  the  storehouse,  that  there  may 
be  meat  in  mine  house,  and  prove  me  now  herewith,  saith  the 
Lord  of  Hosts,  if  I  will  not  open  you  the  windows  of  heaven, 
and  pour  you  out  a  blessing,  that  there  shall  not  be  room 
enough  to  receive  it."  Observe,  that  God  asks  for  the  tenth  part 
of  all  that  comes  into  our  possession,  with  a  promise  of  a  bles- 
sing that  shall  overflow  our  capacity  to  hold  it,  and  the  threat 
of  a  curse  if  we  rob  him. 

The  New  Testament  also  calls  for  systematic  giving.  I.  Cor., 
xvi,  1,  2:  "]STow,  concerning  the  collection  for  the  saints,  as  I 
have  given  orders  to  the  churches  of  Galatia,  even  so  do  ye. 
Upon  the  first  day  of  the  week  let  every  one  of  you  lay  by  him 
in  store,  as  God  hath  prospered  him,  that  there  be  no  gather- 
ings when  I  come."  These  scriptures  show  that  we  are  not 
only  to  give  the  tenth  of  what  we  make  but  that  we  are  to  give 
it  weekly — the  first  day  of  the  week. 

The  rich  and  poor  were  to  give  according  to  what  they  had 
received.  Let  every  one  of  you  lay  by  in  store.  You  are  not 
only  to  give  the  tenth  weekly  but  you  are  to  delight  in  giving. 


African  Baptist   Church-.  309 

II.  Cor.,  ix,  7  :  "Every  man  according  as  he  purposeth  in  his 
heart,  so  let  him  give ;  not  grudgingly,  or  of  necessity ;  for  the 
Lord  loveth  a  cheerful  giver."  We  are  to  give  the  tenth  of 
what  we  make;  we  are  to  give  it  weekly.  We  are  to  give  it 
cheerfully,  not  because  the  church  needs  money,  nor  that  the 
pastor  is  to  have  his  salary,  but  for  greater  reasons  still,  we  are 
to  give  because  God  commanded  us  to  give,  and  that  giving  is 
worship.  No  amount  of  money  in  the  treasury,  or  the  wealth 
of  the  pastor,  will  excuse  us  from  giving. 

The  tax  collector  calls  upon  us  for  our  taxes  if  there  is  money 
in  the  county  treasury,  and  when  they  collect  our  tax  we  make 
no  complaint  that  there  is  money  in  the  State  and  county  treas- 
ury, but  we  pay  it  cheerfully.  How  much  more  so  should  we 
pay  our  money  into  God's  treasury  for  the  support  of  His 
earthly  kingdom. 

3.  God  blesses  the  giver. — First  He  lays  down  a  proposition 
that  is  full  of  encouragement  to  those  who  desire  to  do  their 
duty  in  giving.  Christ  said,  as  quoted  by  Paul  in  Acts,  xx,  35 : 
"It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive."  In  proof  of  this 
you  will  notice  that  there  is  a  great  deal  said  in  the  Bible  about 
the  giver  but  a  very  little  is  said  about  the  receiver.  In  Luke, 
vi,  38,  we  are  informed  that  giving  has  a  tenfold  blessiug,  also, 
as  a  reward :  "  Give,  and  it  shall  be  given  unto  you ;  good  meas- 
ure, pressed  down,  and  shaken  together,  and  running  over,  shall 
men  give  unto  your  bosom."  It  is  said  that  Abraham  presented 
the  tenth  of  all  his  property  and  even  the  the  tenth  of  the  spoils 
from  his  victory  to  Melchisidec.  Jacob,  after  his  vision  at  Luz, 
devoted  a  tenth  of  all  his  property  to  God  in  case  he  should 
return  home  in  safety,  Who  were  blessed  more  than  they,  both 
spiritually  and  temporally?  In  this  God  has  put  himself  on 
record  that  he  will  keep  faithfully  his  promise,  and  that  if  any 
man  will  accept  the  proposition  in  good  faith  he  cannot  but  be 
blessed. 

4.  Again,  God  has  wonderfully  blessed  the  use  of  money  in 
the  christian  world,  in  erecting  houses  of  worship  all  over  the 
land.  Money  has  played  a  conspicuous  part,  upon  which  rests 
the  eternal  blessing  of  God.  It  has  fed  the  hungry  family  of 
the  preacher,  and  relieved  the  burdened  pastor  of  his  obliga- 
tions. It  has  made  glad  the  hearts  of  the  sexton  and  organist, 
and  turned  the  church  creditor  home  with  light  steps.  Money 
has  taken  the  missionary  to  the  homes  of  pagans  in  foreign 
fields,  clothed  and  fed  him  while  he  broke  the  bread  of  life  to 
the  perishing  multitudes.  It  has  directed  the  stream  of  the 
waters  of  life  upon  the  scorching  and  sandy  deserts  of  sin.  By 
its  use,  God  has  overthrown  idolatry,  and  established  instead 


UO  History  of  the  First 


thereof  the  worship  of  the  living  God.  By  its  use  God  has 
caused  empires  and  kingdoms  to  tremble,  fall  and  give  place  to 
the  kingdom  of  our  God  and  His  Christ.  Money  has  been  the 
forerunner  of  Christianity,  to  make  the  hilly  way  level,  and  the 
rough  way  smooth.  It  has  been  the  wings  upon  which  the 
good  cause  has  reached  every  nation  under  heaven,  and  made 
known  the  Messiah's  name.  It  is  the  great  driving  wheel  of 
the  old  ship  that  shall  take  us  all  home. 

Now,  since  there  is  no  wickedness  on  the  part  of  man  more 
paralyzing  to  the  cause  of  Christ  than  his  refusing  to  properly 
give  of  his  earnings,  let  us  see  to  it  that  there  is  a  reformation 
in  this  part  of  our  worship.  Let  us  first,  as  ministers,  take  up 
the  system  which  I  have  tried  to  show,  and  teach  it  to  our 
people,  and  it  will  not  be  long  before  every  church  will  be  out 
of  debt,  every  pastor  will  receive  regularly  his  salary,  the 
places  of  worship  will  be  beautified,  and  the  missionaries'  sup- 
port will  be  all  that  is  desired,  and  we  will  be  multiplied  an 
hundred  times.  Then  the  kingdom  of  Satan  shall  be  over- 
thrown, and  Christianity  shall  sweep  the  land  as  the  mighty 
floods.  Who  of  us  will  not  be  contributors  to  the  coming  of  the 
millenium,  when  Christ  alone  shall  reign? 

No  one  thing  would  retard  the  progress  of  the  christian  work 
more  than  for  men  to  lock  their  hearts  and  pocket-books  to  the 
call  for  means.  And  no  people  should  be  prouder  than  should 
we  to  rise  up  as  one  man,  and  bless  God  for  the  money  that  has 
been  given  for  the  education  and  christian ization  of  our  race. 
Let  us  swell  the  stream  of  liberality  until  every  nation  under 
heaven  shall  know  Jesus,  our  Lord  and  Master,  whom,  to  know 
aright,  is  life  eternal.  "  The  wise  men  presented  to  the  new- 
born King  of  the  Jews,  the  Lord  from  heaven,  gifts,  gold,  frank- 
incense and  myrrh." — Matt.,  ii,  11. 


BAPTIST  CHUKCH  GOVERNMENT. 

BY  REV.  J.  L.  DART,  CHARLESTON,  S.  C. 

If  a  Romanist,  Episcopalian,  Methodist,  or  a  member  of  any 
other  prelatical  church,  were  asked  to  give  a  brief  statement  of 
the  rule  and  government  of  his  church,  he  would  at  once  refer 
to  the  decisions  of  the  several  general  councils  and  conferences, 
as  well  as  to  the  rulings  of  the  various  ecclesiastical  dignitaries 
of  his  respective  church. 

Likewise,  if  a  Lutheran  or  Presbyterian  be  asked  for  a  state- 
ment of  the  principles  governing  his  church  he  would  at  once 


African  Baptist   Church.  311 

turn  to  the  laws  and  regulations  established  by  the  several 
assemblies  and  synods  of  his  church.  But  when  a  member  of 
a  Baptist  or  Independent  church  has  to  unfold  the  principles 
and  laws  which  govern  his  church  he  must  immediately  turn 
to  that  sure  word  of  prophecy,  for  the  New  Testament  is  the 
rule  both  of  the  faith  and  practice  of  his  church. 

The  mark  that  distinguishes  the  Baptist  denomination  from 
any  and  all  other  evangelical  churches  is  its  tenacious  hold  of 
the  plain  and  simple  teachings  of  the  New  Testament  touching- 
all  matters  of  faith  and  practice.  The  Baptists  regard  the 
scriptures  as  being  preeminently  their  chart  and  compass,  and 
they  profess  to  be  strictly  a  Bible-obeying  denomination.  Their 
churches  are  governed  by  no  popes,  cardinals  or  bishops ;  their 
churches  are  regulated  b}^  no  ecclesiastical  councils,  assemblies, 
presbyteries  or  human  traditions ;  but  the  creed  and  constitu- 
tion of  their  churches  are  found  in  the  New  Testament.  With 
the  Baptists  the  question  always  is:  "What  saith  the  scrip- 
tures ?"     "  How  readest  thou  ?" 

In  speaking  of  this  complete  dependence  of  the  Baptist  de- 
nomination on  the  teachings  of  the  New  Testament  in  matters 
of  faith  and  practice,  Dr.  Francis  Wayland  says:  "The  funda- 
mental principle  on  which  our  difference  from  other  evangelical 
denominations  depend  is  this :  We  profess  to  take  for  our  guide, 
in  all  matters  of  religious  belief  and  practice,  the  New  Testa- 
ment, the  whole  New  Testament,  and  nothing  but  the  New 
Testament.  Whatever  we  find  there  we  esteem  binding  upon 
the  conscience.  What  is  not  there  commanded  is  not  binding. 
No  matter  by  what  reverence  for  antiquity,  by  what  tradition, 
by  what  councils,  by  what  consent  of  any  branches  of  the 
church,  or  of  the  whole  church,  at  any  particular  period,  an 
opinion  or  practice  may  be  sustained ;  if  it  be  not  sustained  by 
the  command  or  the  example  of  Christ,  or  of  His  apostles,  we 
value  it  only  as  an  opinion  or  precept  of  man,  and  we  treat  it 
accordingly.  We  disavow  the  authority  of  man  to  add  to  or 
take  from  the  teachings  of  inspiration  as  they  are  found  in  the 
New  Testament.  Hence,  to  a  Baptist,  all  appeals  to  the  fathers, 
or  to  antiquity,  or  general  practice  in  the  early  centuries,  or  in 
later  times,  are  irrelevant  and  frivolous.  He  asks  for  divine 
authority  as  his  guide  in  all  matters  of  religion,  and  if  this  be 
not  produced,  his  answer  is,  '  In  vain  do  ye  worship  me,  teach- 
ing for  doctrines  the  commandments  of  men.'  " — Principles  and 
Practices,  p.  85. 

It  is  the  aim  of  this  paper  to  show  that  the  independent  form 
of  church  government,  as  held  by  the  Baptist  denomination,  is 
more  in  accordance  with  scriptural  teaching,  and  comes  nearer 


312  History   of  the  First 


to  the  practice  of  the  early  christian  churches  than  any  other 
form  of  church  polity. 

In  considering  the  subject  of  Baptist  church  government,  we 
shall  be  greatly  aided  in  the  discussion  by  deciding  first  the 
question,  what  is  the  pattern  of  a  church,  as  laid  down  in  the 
New  Testament?  How  was  an  apostolic  church  constituted 
and  governed  ?  For,  according  to  this  divine  and  inspired  pat- 
tern, all  christian  churches  should  be  remodeled.  The  exam- 
ination of  the  Greek  word,  ekklesia,  which  is  translated  "church" 
in  the  New  Testament,  throws  much  light  on  this  matter  of 
New  Testament  church  polity.  This  word  is  derived  from  a 
Greek  verb,  meaning  "to  call  out<or  forth,"  and  the  gathering 
of  those  called  out  from  their  places  of  abode  may  be  either  for 
a  political  or  religious  purpose.  A  careful  study  of  this  word 
will  lead  one  to  the  following  conclusions : 

First,  that  this  word  is  used  to  denote  an  assembly  of  the 
people,  convened  at  their  public  place  of  council.  In  Acts, 
xix,  39,  we  are  told  that  the  Greeks  were  accustomed  to  deter- 
mine an  important  matter  of  state  in  a  lawful  assembly  (ekklesia). 

Second,  that  in  all  the  uses  of  this  word,  excepting  two,  made 
by  New  Testament  writers,  and  where  it  is  rendered  in  the 
English  version  by  the  word  "church,"  it  signifies  a  company 
of  christians,  or,  as  Grimm  says,  "An  assembly  of  christians 
gathered  for  worship,  observing  their  own  religions  rites,  hold- 
ing their  own  religious  meetings,  and  managing  their  own 
affairs  according  to  regulations  prescribed  for  the  body  for 
order's  sake."  As  the  final  step  in  dealing  with  an  incorrigi- 
ble brother,  Christ  says,  "  Tell  it  to  the  assembly."  When  Paul 
and  Barnabas  had  ordained  elders  in  every  assembly  (ekklesia), 
they  commended  them  to  the  Lord,  on  whom  the}^  had  believed. 

Third,  that  in  two  passages  (Acts  xix,  37,  and  I.  Cor.,  xi,  22), 
the  word  refers  to  the  house  in  which  the  worshippers  assembled. 

Fourth,  that  the  word  in  the  singular  is  never  employed  in 
the  New  Testament  to  denote  several  churches  or  assemblies 
in  a  large  city  or  district,  but,  on  the  contrary,  when  the  num- 
ber of  christians  in  a  community  is  so  large  as  to  render  their 
assembling  in  one  place  impossible,  the  word  is  used  in  the 
plural,  indicating  separate  local  assemblies.  We  read  of  "  the 
churches  throughout  Judea,"  "the  churches  of  Galatia,"  "the 
churches  of  Macedonia." 

Fifth,  that,  as  a  consequence  of  what  we  have  said  respecting 
the  New  Testament  use  of  this  word,  the  use  of  the  English 
word  "  church  "  in  such  forms,  "  The  church  of  England,"  "  The 
church  of  Rome,"  "  The  Presbyterian  church,"  "The  Methodist 
church,"  is  altogether  foreign  to  the  signification  of  the  original 


African  Bajrtist  Church.  313 

Greek  word,  ekklesia;  since  these  organizations,  having  their 
members  widely  dispersed  over  large  extent  of  territories,  can 
never  literally,  but  only  representatively,  assemble  in  one  place. 

It  is  evident,  from  our  investigation  of  this  important  word 
(ekklesia)  and  from  a  consideration  of  several  passages  of  scrip- 
ture, some  of  which  have  already  been  referred  to,  that  an 
apostolic  and  primitive  church  was  an  independent  body  of 
believers  in  Christ,  maintaining  his  doctrines,  administering  the 
ordinances  of  baptism  by  immersion  and  the  Lord's  Supper, 
governing  itself,  having  two  orders  of  officers  (elders  and  dea- 
cons), and  full  and  final  powers  of  discipline. 

But  some  one  may  object  to  this  doctrine  of  the  independence 
of  the  apostolic  and  early  churches  by  referring  to  the  meeting 
of  the  apostles  and  elders  at  Jerusalem,  mentioned  in  the 
fifteenth  chapter  of  Acts.  The  three  main  things  taught  in  this 
passage  are :  (1)  That  the  Gentile  christians  in  Antioch  were 
perplexed  and  divided  by  the  teaching  of  Judaizing  parties  from 
Jerusalem.  (2)  That  Paul  and  Barnabas  were  sent  by  the 
church  at  Antioch,  and  by  divine  command,  to  confer  with  the 
apostles  and  the  elders  and  brethren  of  the  church  at  Jerusalem. 
(3)  That  the  decision  of  the  assembly  was  arrived  at  first  by 
James,  the  same  having  been  proposed  merely  as  his  opinion, 
and  not  as  any  authoritative  dictation  on  his  part,  and  more- 
over, this  opinion  was  concurred  in  b}r  the  apostles,  and  elders 
and  "  the  whole  church  at  Jerusalem."*  Since  there  were  only 
two  churches  represented  on  this  occasion,  this  assembly  was 
simply  an  advisory  and  informal  council,  such  as  are  held  in  these 
days  by  our  churches.  It  was  not  the  first  christian  and  ecclesi- 
astical council  as  it  is  sometimes  called.  We  do  not  find  that  the 
apostolic  and  early  christian  churches  were  accustomed  to  hold 
general  ecclesiastical  councils,  nor  that  these  churches  were 
organically  united  in  one  ecclesiastical  body,  superintended  by 
several  orders  of  officers  subject  to  one  supreme  human  head. 
Church  history  clearly  shows  that  the  prelatical  form  of  church 
government,  which  gave  rise  to  many  corruptions,  was  intro- 
duced by  men  into  the  church  in  later  years.  Dr.  Dagg  makes 
the  following  quotation  from  Gieseler's  Ecclesiastical  History 
to  show  the  gradual  progress  of  infringement  on  the  original 
church  order,  with  respect  to  the  independence  of  the  early 
churches,  the  equality  of  the  bishops,  and  the  right  of  the  people 

*Says  Dr.  Samson,  in  this  connection:  "The  purely  moral  or  advisory  char- 
acter of  the  decree  is  manifest  throughout  the  letter,  declaring  their  decision  in 
such  expressions  as  these:  'It  seemed  good  unto  us,  being  assembled  with  one 
accord;'  'It  seemed  good  to  the  Holy  Ghost  and  to  us  to  lay  upon  you  no  greater 
burthen  than  these  necessary  things;'  and  in  conclusion,  'from  which,  if  ye 
keep  yourselves,  ye  shall  do  well.'  " 


SlJf.  History  of  the  First 


to  elect  their  church  officers.  The  historian  considers  it  a 
progress  and  improvement  rendering  the  churches  "better  or- 
ganized and  united,"  but  we  think  it  a  progress  toward  popery: 

11  The  influence  of  the  bishops  increased  naturally  with  the 
increasing  frequency  of  synods  at  which  they  represented  their 
churches.  Country  churches,  which  had  grown  up  around 
some  city,  seem,  with  their  bishops  to  have  been  usually,  in  a 
certain  degree,  under  the  authority  of  the  mother  church.  With 
this  exception,  all  the  churches  were  alike  independent,  though 
some  were  especially  held  in  honor,  on  such  grounds  as  their 
apostolic  origin,  or  the  importance  of  the  city  in  which  they 
were  situated.  We  have  seen  that  the  sphere  of  individual 
influence  amongst  the  bishops  was  gradually  enlarging,  many 
churches  in  the  city  and  its  vicinity  being  united  under  one 
bishop,  a  presbyter,  or  a  country  bishop  presiding  over  them. 
But  we  have  now  to  speak  of  a  new  institution,  at  first  found 
chiefly  in  the  East,  which  had  the  effect  of  uniting  the  bishops 
more  intimately  amongst  themselves.  This  was  the  provincial 
synod,  which  had  been  growing  more  frequent  ever  since  the 
end  of  the  second  century,  and  in  some  provinces  was  held 
once  or  twice  a  year.  By  these  associations  of  large  ecclesias- 
tical bodies,  the  whole  church  became  better  organized  and 
united." 

Rome  was  made  the  center  of  this  ecclesiastical  organization, 
because  of  the  political  and  commercial  advantages  of  that  city, 
and  of  Peter's  supposed  labors  there. 

Both  scripture  and  earl}7  church  history  teach  us  that  a 
warm,  fraternal  and  christian  fellowship  existed  among  the 
separate  local  churches,  manifesting  itself  in  the  frequent  ex- 
change of  epistles,  borne  by  friendhy  messengers,  and  enabling 
one  church  to  receive  into  its  fellowship  a  duly  accredited  mem- 
ber of  another. 

But  if  it  be  objected  to  what  we  have  said  concerning  the 
independence  of  the  early  apostolic  churches,  that  since  in 
other  cases  God  unfolded  His  plans  of  operation  gradually  it  is 
highly  probable  that  in  planting  the  church  the  principles  of 
church  polity  were  incorporated  in  the  organization  to  be  de- 
veloped and  applied  afterwards  in  the  progress  of  Christianity, 
we  reply  that  while  it  is  conceded  that  the  New  Testament 
contains  very  little  in  the  form  of  direct  teaching  respecting 
the  government  of  churches,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that 
some  important  instruction  in  duty  was  given  to  the  churches 
by  the  inspired  example  and  conduct  of  the  apostles  no  less 
than  by  direct  command.  Christ  and  the  apostles  -gave  us 
much  valuable  instruction  by  their  examples  and  actions  on 


African  Baptist   Church.  315 

the  subject  of  church  government,  the  formation  of  churches, 
the  election  of  officers,  the  equality  and  privilege  of  members, 
the  manner  of  dealing  with  the  erring. 

All  writers  on  this  subject  of  church  polity  readily  admit 
that  a  scriptural  church  practice  cannot  be  arrived  at  without 
a  careful  study  of  the  inspired  examples  found  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament, which  were  designed  by  the  Great  Head  of  the  church 
to  be  in  all  succeeding  ages  for  the  guidance  and  instruction  of 
the  churches. 

"If,  instead  of  leaving  dry  precepts  to  serve  for  our  guidance," 
says  Dr.  Dagg,  "  the  apostles  have  taught  us,  by  example,  how 
to  organize  and  govern  churches,  we  have  no  right  to  reject 
their  instruction,  and  captiously  insist  that  positive  commands 
shall  bind  us.  The  apostles  designed  that  their  modes  of  pro- 
cedure should  be  adopted  and  continued.  We  arrive,  therefore, 
at  the  conclusion  that,  whatever  the  apostles  taught,  whether 
by  precept  or  example,  had  the  authority  not  only  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  by  which  they  were  guided  into  all  truth,  but  also  of 
their  Lord,  Who  had  commissioned  them." 

When  the  apostle  commended  the  church  at  Corinth  for 
having  kept  the  ordinances  (or  the  traditions,  as  the  revised 
version  has  it),  as  he  had  delivered  them;  when  we  see  Timo- 
thy left  in  Crete  to  ordain  elders  in  every  city,  and  to  set  in 
order  the  things  that  were  wanting — when  we  hear  Timothy 
exhorted,  "  The  things  which  thou  hast  heard  of  me,  the  same 
commit  to  faithful  men,  who  shall  be  able  to  teach  others  also," 
— we  understand  that  the  apostle  intended  that  his  faithful  dis- 
ciples and  their  successors  should  follow  his  teachings  and  ex- 
ample in  the  essential  particulars,  and  not  the  minor  features, 
in  governing  the  churches.  The  development  in  church  order, 
which  is  claimed  by  some,  has  not  been  a  natural  and  logical 
thing ;  it  has  been  rather  retrogression  than  progress,  rather 
a  marring  than  a  mending  of  the  divine  plan  and  work ;  for 
what  development  is  there  in  calling  a  man  master,  and  bow- 
ing to  a  pope  as  father,  when  Christ  said,  "Call  no  man  mas- 
ter" or  father,  and  "  Ye  are  all  brethren?  "  What  development 
is  there  in  appealing  to  ecclesiastical  tribunals,  when  our  Divine 
Master  said  to  the  local  church,  "  Let  him  be  unto  thee  as  an 
heathen  man  and  a  publican?  "  What  development  is  there  in 
having  two  classes  of  church  members,  a  converted  and  an 
unconverted,  when  our  Lord  ordered  a  regenerated  church 
membership  by  saying,  "  Ye  must  be  born  again?"  Surely,  if 
this  is  progress,  it  is  in  the  wrong  direction. 

This  independent  and  democratic  form  of  church  government, 
which  is  derived  from  the  scriptures  and  practiced  by  the  Bap- 


116  History  of  the  First 


tist  denomination,  has  some  important  advantages,  chief  among 
them  its  being  a  check  put  upon  the  ungodly  ambition  of  the 
clergy,  which,  in  the  early  days  of  Christianity,  gave  rise  to  the 
Roman  hierarchy. 

This  independence  of  the  churches  leaves  no  provision  for 
combinations  of  churches,  except  as  in  an  associative  and  vol- 
untary capacity,  and  which  are  had  mainly  to  sustain  the 
unhallowed  ambition  of  the  clergy,  and  in  which,  at  times, 
have  been  practiced  and  witnessed  the  most  shameful  political 
methods  to  secure  power  and  position,  such  as  "wire  pulling/' 
"ballot-box  stuffing"  and  the  "most  bare-faced  proceedings,"  as 
the  New  York  Herald  said  in  reporting  the  proceedings  and  the 
election  of  bishops  at  the  Northern  Methodist  Church  Con- 
ference in  New  York,  in  May  last.  This  principle  of  the  inde- 
pendence of  christian  churches  establishes  equality  among  the 
ministers  of  Christ;  it  fixes  the  equality  and  emphasizes  the 
individual  responsibility  of  the  members  of  the  churches,  and 
therefore  it  tends  greatly  to  promote  holiness  in  their  lives. 

If  it  be  said  that  this  principle  of  independence  has  its  dis- 
advantages and  works  some  evil  as  well  as  good,  we  would  say 
in  reply  that  this  doctrine  is  not  adapted  to  a  self-seeking,  am- 
bitious and  hireling  ministry  nor  to  an  unregenerate  church 
membership.  Most  of  us  can  testify  that  independence  and 
popular  suffrage  given  to  churches  whose  members  and  officers 
are  wanting  in  intelligence,  brotherly  love,  and  are  without  the 
spirit  of  Christ,  have  been  abused  and  made  to  work  the  most 
shameful  and  fearful  results  in  those  bodies.  Why  are  there  so 
many  disagreements  and  clashes  between  pastors  and  deacons 
in  our  Baptist  churches  ?  Why  are  so  many  selfish  and  disgrace- 
ful splits  so  often  witnessed  in  our  ranks  ?  These  evils  are  all 
due  to  a  misconception  and  perversion  of  this  grand  scriptural 
doctrine  of  the  independence  and  self-government  of  the  indi- 
vidual church.  We  take  it  that  it  is  the  solemn  duty  of  every 
true  Baptist  to  discourage  and  oppose  all  crooked  proceedings 
wrought  in  the  name  of  liberty,  especially  when  these  things 
lead  up  to  church  splits.  "  Brethren,  ye  have  been  called  unto 
liberty ;  only  use  not  liberty  for  an  occasion  to  the  flesh,  but  by 
love  serve  one  another."  This  doctrine,  which  we  regard  as 
forming  the  very  foundation  of  Baptist  church  government  and 
being  the  key  to  the  superstructure  built  thereon,  grows  out  of 
such  plain  and  well  established  Bible  principles  as  these : 

1.  Religion  is  a  personal  matter  between  the  individual  soul 
and  God. 

2.  Every  man  is  free  to  worship  God  according  to  the  dictates 
of  his  own  conscience. 


African  Baptist   Church.  317 

3.  God  has  furnished  to  us  in  the  New  Testament  a  perfect 
rule  of  faith  and  practice. 

4.  The  scriptures  being  a  revelation  to  the  individual,  e very- 
man  should  be  free  to  interpret  and  understand  them  for  him- 
self. 

5.  Individuals  who  have  examined  the  scriptures  and  arrived 
at  the  same  conclusions  as  to  their  teachings  and  requirements 
form  themselves  into  a  church  for  the  cultivation  of  christian 
graces  and  the  advancement  of  the  cause  of  Christ.  In  this 
church  none  are  superior ;  but  as  to  their  spiritual  privileges  all 
stand  on  the  same  level,  nor  has  it  any  human  head,  for  "  God 
hath  given  Christ  to  be  the  head  over  all  things  to  the  church." 

It  was  for  holding  to  these  and  like  principles,  upon  which  is 
based  the  independence  of  the  church,  that  our  Baptist  fore- 
fathers on  the  old  continent  and  in  America,  during  all  ages, 
were  persecuted,  imprisoned  and  scourged.  About  two  hun- 
dred years  ago  Roger  Williams  was  banished  from  the  State  of 
Massachusetts  among  the  heathen  of  Rhode  Island;  at  the 
same  time  Crandal  and  Clark  were  fined  and  Obadiah  Holmes 
was  ''well  whipt,"  as  his  sentence  read,  and  all  these  things 
were  suffered  for  maintaining  Baptist  principles. 

We  come  now  to  inquire  as  to  the  officers  in  the  apostolic 
church.  There  were  two  orders,  elders  or  overseers,  and  deacons. 
The  first  class  also  bore  the  title  of  presbyter  or  bishop.  That 
these  terms  are  the  Jewish  and  Gentile  designations  of  the  same 
office  is  proven  by  the  fact  that  they  are  often  used  interchange- 
ably *in  the  scriptures.  In  Acts,  xx,  28,  the  elders  of  the  church 
at  Ephesus  are  styled  overseers  or  bishops.  In  I.  Peter,  v,  2, 
elders  are  addressed  as  having  the  oversight  of  the  flock,  which 
implies  their  authority  as  overseers  or  bishops.  In  Titus,  i,  5, 
after  the  ordination  of  elders  is  mentioned,  the  apostle  imme- 
diately begins  to  enumerate  the  qualifications  of  a  bishop; 
and  the  connection  plainly  shows  that  these  terms  were 
titles  of  the  same  office.  Several  of  the  christian  fathers  bear 
testimony  to  the  same  fact.  Ignatius  exclaims:  ''What,  indeed, 
is  the  eldership  but  a  sacred  constituted  body,  fellow-counsel- 
lors and  judges  with  the  presiding  pastor!"  Irenseus,  living 
about  a  century  after  the  apostles,  and  writing  as  ''episcopos," 
or  presiding  pastor,  speaks  of  this  identity ;  and  Jerome  argues 
at  length  what  his  predecessors  had  occasion  to  allude  to,  saying : 
"  The  elder  is  the  same  as  the  bishop  or  presiding  pastor.  Should 
any  one  think  it  is  not  the  sentiment  of  the  scriptures,  but  our 
opinion,  that  the  bishop  and  presbyter  are  one,  (this  was  the 
name  of  the  office  in  that  age),  let  him  read  again  the  words  of 
the  apostle  to  the  Philippians,  '  Paul  and  Timothy,  servants  of 


318  History  of  the  First 


Jesus  Christ,  to  all  the  sanctified  in  Christ  who  are  at  Philippi, 
with  the  bishops  and  deacons,  grace  to  you  and  peace.'  Philippi 
was  a  single  city  of  Macedonia,  and  certainly  in  a  single  city  there 
could  not  be  several  such  as  are  now  regarded  bishops.  But 
since  at  that  time  the  same  men  were  bishops  as  were  called 
elders,  therefore  he  spoke  indiscriminately  of  bishops  as  elders." 

It  appears  that  each  church  had  one  or  more  elders,  whose 
duty  it  was  to  "  labor  in  word  and  doctrine,1'  "to  rule  well," 
not  as  a  civil,  but  a  moral  officer,  exercising  no  coercive  powers, 
but  exacting  voluntary  obedience.  They  were  under-shepherds, 
to  "feed  the  flock,"  and  as  such  they  were  required  to  be  "apt 
to  teach,"  from  which  we  infer  that  teaching  was  a  prominent 
part  of  their  work. 

In  order  that  the  pastors  might  devote  their  energies  to  the 
spiritual  service  of  the  church,  the  office  of  deacon  was  origi- 
nated, whose  duty  it  was  to  serve  tables  and  to  minister  in  sec- 
ular affairs.  The  qualifications  of  the  diaconate,  as  of  the 
eldership,  are  of  a  high  moral  order,  but,  as  aptness  to  teach  is 
not  among  them,  they  are,  therefore,  not  appointed  as  public 
teachers  of  the  Word ;  but  it  is  evident  from  the  manner  in 
which  the  deacons  are  spoken  of  in  the  scriptures,  that  the 
strongest  obligations  rest  upon  them  to  be  forward  in  promoting 
the  spiritual  interests  of  the  church.  When  a  deacon  feels  that 
he  is  called  to  preach  the  Word,  he  ought  to  resign  his  office  of 
deacon,  saying,  "This  one  thing  I  do."  In  this  connection,  it 
should  be  remarked  that  Baptist  churches  should  exercise  very 
great  care  in  licensing  and  ordaining  candidates  for  the  minis- 
try, as  well  as  in  the  selection  of  deacons.  Not  only  moral  and 
theological,  but  intellectual  attainments  should  be  insisted  upon 
in  those  who  apply  for  ordination. 

In  many  of  our  churches  ignorance  holds  sway  in  the  pulpit, 
and  it  is  a  sad  fact  that  in  some  instances  grossly  immoral  men 
stand  before  the  altar  of  God,  to  minister  in  holy  things  for 
the  people.  The  standard  of  the  Baptist  ministry  should  be 
elevated  and  kept  high.  Let  no  man  be  set  apart  for  the  Bap- 
tist ministry  unless  he  is  sure  that  he  is  called  of  God ;  unless  he 
is  unquestionably  a  regenerated  man ;  unless  he  has  an  intel- 
ligent knowledge  of  the  great  truths  of  the  Bible ;  unless  he  has 
a  pure  personal  character ;  unless  he  has  some  knowledge  of 
men  and  books ;  unless  he  truly  loves  Christ  and  the  souls  of 
men,  and,  therefore,  unless  he  has  "an  enthusiasm  of  human- 
ity," to  use  a  phrase  from  Ecce  Homo,  and  a  burning  desire  to 
preach  the  everlasting  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God.  Then  the 
future  Baptist  minister  will  be  a  higher  type  of  a  man,  and  a 
more  useful  and  acceptable  preacher  to  the  people.     He  will 


African  Baptist   Church.  319 

reach  the  standard  mentioned  by  an  eminent  divine,  in  address- 
ing the  students  of  the  Boston  Divinity  School  a  few  weeks 
since,  when  he  said : 

"The  future  minister  will  be,  in  the  first  place,  a  man  called 
by  God.  His  call  will  be  known  by  the  fact  that  he  will  not  be 
able  to  choose  any  other  calling.  In  the  second  place,  he  must 
be  a  man  who  appreciates  the  work  of  the  ministry  of  the  past, 
yet  one  living  in  his  own  time.  He  will  recognize  the  spirit  of 
the  age,  and  allow  it  to  help  him  in  his  work.  He  will  use  art 
and  science  in  adorning  and  adding  lustre  and  interest  to  truth. 
Thirdly,  he  will  be  a  preacher  of  the  Book.  The  most  mon- 
strous sham  of  all  shams  is  a  Christless.  crossless  sermon. 
Lastly,  the  future  minister  will  be  a  man  of  burning  faith  and 
pure  character. ' ' 

Upon  the  selection  and  ordination  of  deacons  the  same  care- 
ful and  prayerful  attention  should  be  bestowed.  •"Should  a 
church  ordain  a  man  for  a  deacon  when  he  has  not  reached  the 
required  qualifications  of  the  Bible?''  is  a  question  for  discus- 
sion found  in  the  Georgia  Baptist  a  few  weeks  since.  We  reply, 
No.  By  no  means  let  him  be  ordained.  A  good  plan  has  been 
found  to  be  to  try  the  candidate  for  a  few  months,  and  if  he 
fail  to  come  up  to  the  Bible  requirements  of  faithfulness,  gravity, 
truthfulness,  unselfishness,  temperance  and  purity — if  in  these 
and  other  qualifications  he  is  not  found  blameless,  let  him  be 
rejected. 

The  officers  in  the  apostolic  churches  were  elected  by  popular 
suffrage.  In  illustration  of  this  truth  numerous  scriptural  pre- 
cedents and  precepts  of  significant  import  are  to  be  traced.  We 
read  that  when  an  apostle  Was  to  be  selected  to  fill  Judas'  place, 
the  whole  company  of  disciples  was  appealed  to  in  common  in 
reference  to  the  election;  that  when  seven  men  were  to  be 
selected  to  superintend  the  secular  administration  of  the  church, 
the  whole  church  cooperated  in  their  election ;  that  when  Paul 
and  Barnabas  were  to  be  separated  and  set  apart  as  the  first 
foreign  missionaries  the  whole  church  took  part  in  their  elec- 
tion, while  the  "prophets  and  teachers"  ordained  them. 

It  is  disputed  whether  Paul  and  Barnabas  appointed  the 
presbyters  in  the  case  of  Acts,  xiv,  23,  by  their  own  act  solely, 
or  whether  they  ratified  a  previous  election  of  the  church  made 
at  their  suggestion.  This  passage  (in  Titus,  i,  5,)  decides  noth- 
ing definite  as  to  the  mode  of  choice,  and  therefore  the  free 
action  of  the  churches  is  not  necessarily  excluded.  It  is  reason- 
able to  suppose  that  Paul,  and  Barnabas  and  Titus  appointed 
and  ratified  men  as  elders  who  had  been  previously  elected  by 
the  communities.     It  might  be  well  to  state  Meander's  conclu- 


320  History  of  the  First 


sion  on  this  subject:  "As  regards  the  election  to  church  offices, 
we  are  in  want  of  sufficient  information  to  enable  us  to  decide 
how  it  was  managed  in  the  early  apostolic  times.  Indeed,  it  is 
quite  possible  that  the  method  of  procedure  differed  under  dif- 
ferent circumstances.  As  in  the  institution  of  deacons  the 
apostles  left  the  choice  to  the  communities  themselves,  and  as 
the  same  was  the  case  in  the  choice  of  deputies  to  attend  the 
apostles  in  the  name  of  the  communities  (II.  Cor.,  viii,  19),  we 
might  argue  that  a  similar  course  would  be  pursued  in  filling 
other  offices  of  the  church.  When  Paul  empowers  Titus  to 
set  presiding  officers  over  the  communities  who  possessed 
the  requisite  qualifications,  this  circumstance  decides  nothing 
as  to  the  mode  of  choice,  nor  is  a  choice  by  the  community 
itself  therebj^  necessarily  excluded.  The  regular  course  seems 
to  have  been  this:  The  church  offices  were  intrusted  to 
the  first  converts  in  preference  to  others,  provided  that 
in  other  respects  they  possessed  the  requisite  qualifications. 
It  may  have  been  the  general  practice  for  the  presbyters 
themselves,  in  case  of  a  vacancy,  to  propose  another  to  the 
community  in  place  of  the  person  deceased,  and  leave  it  to 
the  whole  body  either  to  approve  or  decline  their  selection  for 
reasons  assigned.  When  asking  for  the  assent  of  the  commu- 
nity had  not  yet  become  a  mere  formality,  this  mode  of  filling 
church  offices  had  the  salutary  effect  of  causing  the  votes  of  the 
majority  to  be  guided  by  those  capable  of  judging  and  of  sup- 
pressing divisions ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  no  one  fras  ob- 
truded on  the  community  who  would  not  be  welcome  to  their 
hearts. — Ch.  Hist.,  vol.  i,  p.  189.* 

Lastly,  the  independence  of  the  church  puts  all  discipline 
into  the  hands  of  the  local  church.  Among  Baptists  there  is 
no  higher  body  or  authority  to  which  appeals  can  be  made. 
Christ  says,  "If  he  will  not  hear  the  church.''  Paul  says, 
"  Put  away  from  among  yourselves  that  wicked  person ;"  "With- 
draw yourselves  from  every  brother  that  walketh  disorderly, 
and  not  after  the  traditions  which  ye  received  of  us;"  "If  any 
man  obey  not  our  word  by  this  epistle,  note  that  man  and  have 
no  company  with  him,  that  he  may  be  ashamed." 

*A11  these  testimonies  lead  us  to  the  same  conclusion  as  that  of  Dr.  G.  W. 
Sampson,  when  he  says  "  that  the  official  heads  in  the  christian  church  are  the 
selection  of  its  membership,  having  only  advisory  authority  as  agents  of  the 
church;  while  the  church  has  no  other  province  than  that  of  watchcare  over  the 
spiritual  life  of  its  members,  and  the  securing  of  co-operation  and  christian  effort 
for  others.  It  seems  apparent  that  associations  of  churches  are  made  up  of  rep- 
resentatives selected  by  individual  churches;  that  their  authority  is  simply 
advisory,  and  that  it  relates  only  to  such  subjects  as  belong  to  the  christian 
advancement  of  those  already  believers,  and  union  for  the  extending  of  the 
gospel  to  those  that  either  have  not  heard  or  have  not  believed  the  Word."— 
Essay  on  Church  Polity. 


African  Baptist   Church.  321 

Each  church,  as  a  distinct  and  independent  christian  society, 
possessed  the  right  to  admit  or  refuse  to  admit  members.  In 
such  a  voluntary  community,  exclusion  was  the  ultimate  pen- 
alty. 

These  grand  principles  of  independence  and  self-government, 
and  all  that  are  implied  in  them,  have  always  been  held  dear, 
and  sacredly  guarded  by  Baptist  churches.  Their  influence  has 
been  and  is  felt  in  the  civil  life  of  this  and  other  countries ;  for 
Thomas  Jefferson  incorporated  them  into  the  very  foundations 
of  this  government.  The  great  German  Krummacher  was 
evidently  thinking  of  the  practices  no  less  than  the  doctrines  of 
the  Baptists  when,  some  years  ago,  he  said  to  the  lamented  Dr. 
Sears, -"  You  Baptists  have  a  future."  In  all  our  principles  and 
practices  let  us  continue  to  do  and  make  all  things  according  to 
the  pattern  showed  us  in  the  Mount. 


LETTER  FROM  REV.  H.  H.  TUCKER,  D.  D. 

To  the  Negro  Baptists  of  Georgia  Holding  a  Centennial  Celebration 
in  Savannah,  June  6-18,  1888 : 

Dear  Brethren — I  have  had  the  honor  of  being  invited  by 
your  committee  of  arrangements  to  attend  your  meeting  and  to 
deliver  an  address  before  you.  To  my  great  regret,  circum- 
stances have  prevented  niy  acceptance  of  your  invitation ;  but 
I  beg  to  submit  these  lines  as  an  acknowledgment  of  your 
courtesy,  and  also  as  an  expression  of  my  fraternal  regard  and 
sympathy. 

Some  months  ago  I  had  the  pleasure  of  furnishing  to  one  of 
your  number,  the  Rev.  E.  K.  Love,  some  information  of  interest 
in  regard  to  the  early  history  of  the  Negro  Baptists  of  Savannah. 
This  information  was  embodied  in  some  historic  documents 
written  by  my  grandfather,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Henry  Holcombe,  who 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  last  century  and  in  the  beginning  of  the 
present,  and  while  pastor  in  Savannah,  gave  much  of  his  atten- 
tion to  the  religious  interests  of  his  negro  brethren,  who  I  doubt 
not  were  the  ancestors  of  many  of  those  whom  I  now  address. 
I  am  glad  I  had  it  in  my  power,  even  in  this  small  way,  to  con- 
tribute to  the  interest  of  your  meeting. 

While  thus  addressing  you,  I  beg  that  you  will  pardon  me 
for  expressing  a  few  thoughts  in  regard  to  the  relation  sustained 
to  each  other  by  the  two  great  races  of  men  who  compose  our 
Baptist*  Zion  in  the  United  States. 


History  of  the  First 


As  one  of  the  results  of  the  late  war  between  the  States,  our 
civil  relation  to  each  other  has  been  wholty  changed.  We  are 
no  longer  masters  and  slaves ;  we  are  all  free  alike,  and  are  all 
fellow-citizens  of  the  great  American  Republic,  whose  constitu- 
tion guarantees  to  us  all,  without  distinction,  equal  rights  and 
equal  privileges  forever.  I  rejoice  in  this  fact,  and  I  believe  it 
is  heartily  acquiesced  in  by  all  right  minded  men. 

Your  ancestors  of  a  few  generations  ago  were  either  caught 
or  bought  on  the  coast  of  Africa  and  brought  as  slaves  to  this 
country.  This  atrocious  crime  was  perpetrated  by  Northern 
men,  not  b}?  Southern  men.  Not  a  solitary  Southern  vessel  was 
engaged  in  that  traffic,  nor  yet  a  solitary  Southern  man;  nor 
was  there  a  single  dollar  of  Southern  capital  engaged  in  the 
enterprise.  The  business  was  carried  on  either  by  foreigners  or 
by  men  of  New  England.  The  slaves  found  ready  purchasers 
in  Boston,  and  elsewhere  in  the  Northern  States  no  less  than 
in  some  of  the  Southern  States.  Experience  soon  made  it  plain 
that  the  climate  of  the  higher  latitudes  was  not  adapted  to  the 
negro  constitution,  and  that  hence  it  was  not  profitable  in  that 
climate  to  hold  them  as  slaves.  Their  owners  were  shrewd 
enough  to  sell  them  to  those  who  could  own  them  to  better  ad- 
vantage ;  and  thus  from  no  benevolent  or  philanthropic  motive, 
but  merely  from  self-interest,  they  relieved  themselves  from  the 
burden  of  slavery,  and  thus  the  slaves  drifted  southward.  The 
introduction  of  slavery  was  protested  against  by  the  authorities 
of  the  State  of  Georgia.  Nevertheless,  by  the  avarice  of  those 
who  imported  the  slaves,  and  of  those  Northern  slaveholders 
who  found  that  in  purchasing  them  they  had  made  a  bad  bar- 
gain, and  by  the  unwise  action  of  our  people  here  who  purchased 
them,  many  slaves  were  brought  into  the  State;  and  in  time 
slavery  became  a  recognized  institution,  not  by  law,  but  by 
usage  established  in  disregard  of  law. 

There  were  many  who  never  liked  it,  but  who,  nevertheless, 
after  it  was  introduced  and  became  thoroughly  interwoven  with 
the  social  fabric,  defended  the  position  of  the  slaveholders.  I 
was  one  of  these.  I  was  never  in  sympathy  with  those  North- 
ern pirates  who  foisted  slavery  upon  us.  On  the  contrary,  I 
always  regarded  them  and  their  deeds  with  abhorrence.  But 
I  was  born  in  a  State  where  one-half  of  the  population  was 
held  in  legal  bondage  by  the  other  half,  and  neither  half  was 
responsible  for  the  relation  in  which  the  two  found  themselves. 
I  always  believed  that  the  slaveholder,  who  inherited  this  con- 
dition, was  as  innocent  of  wrong  as  the  slave,  who  also  inherited 
it.  I  am  still  of  that  opinion ;  and,  though  a  slaveholder  from 
birth  until  the  happy  demise  of  the  institution,  I  am  wholly 


African  Baptist   Church.  42 S 

unrepentant  of  the  share  I  had  in  it,  and  feel  that  I  have 
nothing  to  repent  of.  If  anybody  has  anything  to  repent  of  it 
is  the  descendants  of  those  who  originated  the  system  of  slavery 
and  inherited  the  money,  with  its  enormous  increase,  for  which 
the  imported  slave  was  sold.  In  a  moral  sense,  the  price  of  the 
slave  is  the  slave,  and  the  price  of  him  is  all  over  New  England 
and  old  England  to-day.  But  I  acquit  all  the  living  of  wrong, 
whether  they  inherited  the  slave  or  the  price  of  him.  Our 
highly  esteemed  brother,  the  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  in 
Beaufort,  S.  C,  (the  Rev.  Arthur  Waddell),  was  once  my  prop- 
erty. I  think  he  was  as  much  to  blame  for  being  born  my 
slave  as  I  was  for  being  born  his  master.  The  truth  is  that 
neither  of  us  had  anything  to  do  with  it.  One  generation 
sinned  and  another  bore  the  penalty.  The  sour  grapes  of  the 
fathers  set  the  children's  teeth  on  edge. 

Now,  that  slavery  is  gone,  I  know  not  which  to  congratulate 
the  more,  the  slaveholder  or  the  slave ;  for  while  it  is  true  that 
the  slave  was  bound  to  his  master,  it  is  also  true  that  his  master 
was  bound  to  him ;  and  in  my  opinion  freedom  from  each  other 
was  a  boon  to  both,  and  I  think  we  do  well  to  shake  hands  in 
mutual  congratulation  and  cement  anew  the  friendships  formed 
under  other  conditions,  and  bless  God  that  he  has  struck  from 
us  all  the  fetters  fastened  on  us  by  the  slave  dealers  of  two 
hundred  years  ago. 

But  it  is  well  to  contemplate  the  fact  that  our  civil  relations 
are  the  only  relations  that  are  changed.  In  every  other  respect 
we  are  just  what  we  always  were.  We  are  two  separate  and 
distinct  races.  We  learn  from  the  scriptures  (Acts,  xvii,  26), 
that  originally  we  were  all  of  one  blood,  and  that  all  the  nations 
on  the  face  of  the  earth  descended  from  a  common  ancestry. 
But  this  was  a  long  time  ago,  and  since  then  vast  changes  have 
taken  place.  The  origin  of  the  diversity  of  races  is  lost  in  the 
depths  of  antiquity ;  but  our  inability  to  account  for  this  diver- 
sity is  no  reason  wh}r  we  should  not  accept  the  fact.  It  is  true 
that  the  creation  of  God  made  us  one,  but  it  is  also  true  that 
the  providence  of  God  has  made  us  two;  and  what  God  has  put 
asunder  let  not  man  join  together.  As  God  has  made  two  races 
of  us,  there  ought  to  be  two ;  he  would  not  have  made  two  if  one 
had  sufficed.  If  infinite  wisdom  has  thus  decided  on  plurality, 
it  is  our  highest  wisdom  to  acquiesce  in  it.  If  God  himself  has 
drawn  the  color  line,  it  is  vain  as  well  as  wicked  for  us  to  try 
to  efface  it.  The  real  well-being  of  each  race,  and  of  the  human 
family  at  large,  is  best  promoted  only  when  each  race  preserves 
its  integrity,  and  keeps  itself  free  from  admixture  with  any 
other.     God's  plan  is  the  best  plan,  and  His  assorting  of  the 


:!2J(.  History  of  the  First 


races  is  the  wisest,  and  any  attempt  to  interfere  with  His  pur- 
poses must  be  as  disastrous  in  its  results  as  it  was  wicked  in  its 
inception.  Unfortunately,  all  this  has.  in  many  cases,  been  lost 
sight  of,  and  an  unnatural  hybridism,  is  the  result.  But  the 
sooner  the  Caucasian  blood  which  has  intermingled  with  yours 
is  so  absorbed  as  to  be  lost  sight  of,  the  better  it  will  be  for 
your  welfare,  no  less  than  for  your  honor.  It  is  evidently  the 
Divine  intention  that  like  should  consort  with  like ;  hence,  as 
we  find  ourselves  providentially  divided  into  two  races,  let  us 
so  remain,  keeping  separate  in  all  our  social  relations,  living 
peaceably  side  by  side,  and  each  maintaining  its  self-respect  by 
maintaining  its  own  individuality. 

A  blessed  thing  it  is  that  the  war  has  made  no  change  in  our 
relation  to  each  other  as  friends,  while  yet  it  has  intensified  our 
friendship.  Until  the  frightful  emergencies  of  war  were  upon 
us,  we  never  knew  how  affectionate  and  how  faithful  you  were. 
It  took  war  itself  to  bring  your  virtues  into  adequate  notice ; 
nor  could  anything  less  than  this  have  ever  convinced  the 
world  of  the  genuineness  of  the  friendship  between  the  master 
and  the  slave,  and  of  a  fidelity  on  the  part  of  the  latter  which 
has  never  been  surpassed.  And  your  unwavering  adherence  to 
your  masters  in  those  dreadful  days  is  an  unanswerable  refuta- 
tion of  the  charges  of  cruelty  and  tyranny  so  often  brought 
against  them.  It  took  the  war  to  bring  to  the  front  the  good 
in  both  races,  and  the  amiable  relation  which  they  sustained 
to  each  other,  and  to  show  to  the  world  how  greatly  slavery  was 
mitigated  by  Christianity.  The  spectacle  presented  to  the  world 
was  a  sublime  one,  when  one  race,  held  in  bondage  by  another, 
was  true  in  time  of  peril  to  the  friendships  formed  during  that 
very  bondage,  refusing  to  throw  off  its  bonds  when  it  could 
easily  have  done  so,  and  loyal  still  to  the  dominant  race,  gave 
it,  in  the  hour  of  its  extremity,  an  unfailing  and  hearty  support. 
You  were  in  chains,  it  is  true,  but  they  were  chains  of  love. 
Christian  masters  and  christian  servants  were  never  enemies. 
Never  can  we  of  the  white  race  forget  who  it  was  that  during 
those  awful  years  took  care  of  our  wives  and  children,  and  of 
all  our  aged  and  infirm,  when  they  might  all  have  been  slaugh- 
tered or  left  to  starve  to  death.  Never  can  we  forget  whose 
toil  and  whose  sweat  it  was  that  sustained  our  armies  in  the 
field  for  four  years  against  the  most  stupendous  military  power 
the  world  ever  saw.  Remembering  all  this,  we  shall  never 
cease  to  wish  you  well,  and  to  do  what  we  can  to  promote  your 
interests. 

On  the  other  hand  it  is  well  for  you  to  remember,  that  as 
God  brought  good  out  of  evil  when  Joseph  was  sold  by  his 


African  Baptist   Church. 


brethren  into  Egypt,  so  blessing  has  come  to  you,  by  your  hav- 
ing been  brought  from  the  land  of  your  fathers  to  this  country. 
Civil  slavery  was  the  germ  out  of  which  gospel  freedom  sprang. 
Here  you  are  civilized,  and  speaking  the  English  language  in- 
stead of  the  gibberish  of  savages;  and  christianized,  while  your 
cousins  across  the  water,  descended  from  the  same  ancestors, 
are  to  this  day  idolaters,  barbarians,  and  some  of  them  canni- 
bals. In  this  case,  God,  instead  of  sending  preachers  to  the 
heathen,  has  brought  heathen  to  the  preachers,  and  has  made 
the  wicked  act  of  man-stealers  and  pirates  the  means  whereby 
salvation  is  brought  to  thousands  and  millions  of  his  elect. 
Thus  gloriously  has  God  caused  the  wrath  of  man  to  praise 
Him.  So  it  has  been,  at  any  rate,  that  the  two  races  have 
mutually  benefited  each  other  in  times  past,  and  happily  the 
relations  of  the  two,  notwithstanding  the  persistent  efforts  of 
outsiders  to  alienate  them,  are  still  friendly,  as  they  have 
always  been,  and  our  prayer  should  be  that  this  harmony  and 
kindliness  of  feeling  should  be  maintained  forever. 

I  regard  with  great  delight  the  fact  that  your  ecclesiastical 
relations  are  just  what  they  always  were.  A  Baptist  church 
is  a  Baptist  church,  whether  those  composing  it  are  white,  or 
black,  or  brown,  or  yellow,  or  red,  or  in  any  way  intermingled, 
for,  says  an  apostle  "By  one  Spirit  are  we  all  baptized  into  one 
body,  whether  we  be  Jews  or  Gentiles,  whether  we  be  bond  or 
free;  and  have  all  been  made  to  drink  into  one  Spirit." — 
I.  Cor.,  xii,  13. 

The  original  Savannah  Association  was  composed  of  five 
churches,  two  white  and  three  black  ;  and  churches  once  com- 
posed almost  wholly  of  slaves,  retain  their  individualit}'  abso- 
lutely undisturbed,  now  that  all  those  once  slaves  have  now 
become  free.  No  change  in  our  civil  relations  can  change  or 
in  the  least  degree  affect  our  ecclesiastical  relations,  rights  or 
privileges.  "For,"  says  our  brother  Paul,  "He  that  is  called 
in  the  Lord  being  a  servant,  is  the  Lord's  freeman ;  likewise 
also  he  that  is  called,  being  free,  is  Christ's  servant." — I.  Cor., 
vii,  22.  And  again,  says  the  same( apostle,  "There  is  neither 
Jew  nor  Greek,  there  is  neither  bond  nor  free,  there  is  neither 
male  nor  female:  for  ye  are  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus." — Gal.,  iii,  28. 

If  you  think  best  to  have  ecclesiastical  organizations  of  your 
own,  separate  and  apart  from  those  of  the  whites,  there  can  be 
no  harm  in  so  doing.  But  this  is  only  a  matter  of  expediency, 
and  not  a  matter  of  principle.  Experience  shows  that  those  of  a 
kind  do  best  together,  and  that,  as  a  general  rule  to  which  there 
may  be  exceptions,  the  greatest  efficiency  is  attained  when  the 
organizations  are  homogeneous.     Still,  while  thus  divided  into 


326  History  of  the  First 


families,  kind  and  affectionate  correspondence  should  always 
be  maintained. 

Above  all,  brethren,  let  us  remember  with  rejoicing  that  our 
fraternal  relations  are  exactly  what  they  always  were.  We 
were  brethren  in  Christ  in  the  days  of  slavery,  and  we  are 
brethren  in  Christ  now.  One  God  is  the  Father  of  us  all,  one 
Saviour  died  for  us  all,  one  covenant — the  everlasting  covenant 
between  the  Father  and  the  Son  includes  us  all;  and  one  heaven, 
one  holy,  happy,  blessed  heaven,  is  in  reserve  for  us  all,  where 
distinctions  of  race  will  be  forgotten,  and  where  we  shall  all 
dwell  together  forever  in  the  presence  of  God  and  of  the  holy 
angels. 

I  dwell  with  deep  gratification  on  the  facts  that  hundreds, 
perhaps  thousands,  of  your  race  have  sat  under  my  ministry; 
that  many  of  them  have  been  baptized  by  me ;  that  many  of 
your  preachers  have  passed  under  my  instructions,  and  that  I 
have  ordained  a  number  of  them  to  the  work  of  the  gospel 
ministry.  Above  all  am  I  happy  in  the  belief  that  some  of 
your  people  have  been  brought  into  the  Kingdom  as  the  result 
of  my  labors  in  the  Lord. 

And  now,  dear  brethren,  with  heart-felt  salutation  to  your 
Centennial  Convention.  I  subscribe  myself,  ever  fraternally 
yours  in  the  faith  and  hope  and  love  of  the  gospel  of  Christ, 

Henry  Holcombe  Tucker.* 

Atlanta,  Ga..  June  12,  1888. 


*The  above  communication  from  Dr.  Tucker  is  able  and  timely.  In  the  main 
it  meets  the  most  hearty  endorsement  of  the  editor  of  this  book.  The  point 
touched  on  concerning  social  equality  meets  our  fullest  approval.  We  have 
never  urged  social  equality  as  a  prerequisite  to  negro  greatness.  We  think  it 
rather  damaging  than  helpful  to  the  race.  The  slave  trade  is  treated  of  very 
largely  by  our  venerable  brother,  the  blame  of  which  is  largely  laid  at  the  door 
of  our  Northern  brethren.  Without  questioning  what  he  says,  we  remark  that 
the  South  appears  to  be  equal  heir  to  the  great  wrong  done  Africa,  and  suffered  in 
common  for  this  sin,  atoning  for  it  with  the  blood  of  her  noblest  and  purest  ai  d 
general  devastation  of  property.  The  Southern  white  boy,  it  is  true,  found  him- 
self in  possession  of  negro  property,  which  was  not  his  fault,  but  so  soon  as  he 
learned  that  it  was  wrong  to  hold  human  beings  as  slaves  then  it  was  his  fault. 
The  sins  of  the  fathers  were  visited  upon  the  children,  and  hence  the  children 
were  wrong.  Dr.  Tucker  has  a  record  of  never  having  entered  fully  into  sympa- 
thy with  the  inhuman  and  ungodly  system  of  slavery;  but  he  was  a  Southern 
white  man,  and  it  required  more  nerve  than  nature  has  favored  any  one  man 
with,  as  a  rule,  to  oppose  what  everybody  (in  the  South, anil  many  in  the  North) 
1  hen  believed  to  be  a  God-given  legacy.  Such  men  as  Dr.  Dagg  believed  and 
taught  that  slavery  was  the  express  will  of  God.  We  can  fully  sympathize  with 
our  white  brethren  who  grew  up  under  such  influences  and  such  teachings. 
We  thank  God  for  the  revolution  and  reaction  which  He,  himself,  has  brought 
aboui. 

/ 


African  Baptist   Church.  32"t 


THE  ACT  OF  BAPTISM. 

BY  REV.  J.  H.  KILPATRICK,  D.  D.,  WHITE  PLAINS,  GA. 

Baptism  is  a  New  Testament  ordinance.  Jesus  himself  was 
baptized,  and  He  commanded  His  followers  to  be  baptized. 
But  what  is  baptism?  If  we  know  not  what  baptism  is.  how 
can  we  know  whether  we  have  ever  been  baptized,  and  so 
have  obeyed  the  Saviour's  command?  All  Baptists,  and  many 
who  are  not,  believe  that  immersion,  and  that  only,  is  the  bap- 
tism of  the  Bible.  As  a  general  thing,  doubtless,  this  convic- 
tion has  come  from  reading  the  English  scriptures  and  under- 
standing them  in  their  plain  and  natural  meaning.  Moreover, 
this  conviction  thus  obtained  is  strong  enough  to  satisfy  per- 
fectly the  conscience  of  all  who  have  been  immersed,  and  it 
may  be  added,  strong  enough,  also,  largely  to  unsettle  the  con- 
sciences of  many  who  have  not  been  immersed.  Since,  how- 
ever, there  are  various  opinions  professedly  as  to  what  baptism 
is,  and  some  have  alleged  that  the  scriptures  properly  interpreted 
do  not  teach  immersion,  it  is  natural  that  every~mtelligent  and 
honest  seeker  after  truth,  though  not  a  scholar,  should  yet 
desire  to  examine  the  subject  for  himself,  and  for  himself 
see  just  what  the  truth  is.  To  assist  in  meeting  this  desire 
is  the  special  object  of  the  present  discourse.  It  has  not  been 
prepared  for  the  Avitless  and  slothful  who  blindly  follow  the 
say-so  of  others,  but  rather  for  all  persons  of  good  common 
sense  who  love  the  truth  and  desire  personally  to  inspect  the 
foundations  of  their  faith. 

And  now  for  our  question,  What  is  baptism?  As  baptism  is 
a  New  Testament  ordinance,  of  course  to  the  New  Testament 
we  must  go  in  order  to  answer  it.  But  the  New  Testament 
was  written  in  Greek,  and  the  most  of  us  have  no  knowledge 
whatever  of  that  language.  Never  mind;  if  you  have  common 
sense,  and  will  exercise  it,  that  will  do  just  as  well  or  better. 

Now,  remember,  our  word  "baptize"  has  come  from  the 
Greek  baptizo,  and  the  real  question  first  is.  What  does  this 
word  mean?  that  is,  in  what  sense  did  the  old  Greeks  use  it? 
How  can  we  find  out?  Just  simply  by  finding  out  the  circum- 
stances under  which  they  used  it.  That  is  the  way  our  children 
learn  the  meaning  of  words  when  they  begin  to  talk.  Does  a 
child  go  to  a  dictionary  before  he  knows  a  letter  in  the  book  ? 
And  yet  he  learns  the  meaning  of  words  from  noticing  how  they 


328  History  of  the  First 


are  used.  A  little  child  just  learning  to  talk  sees  and  feels  a 
certain  action  called  "whipping,"  and  it  does  not  take  him  long 
to  learn  what  the  word  means.  Now,  I  want  to  read  to  you 
some  instances  where  the  Greeks  used  this  word  bajjtizo,  and  I 
will  only  give  those  where  I,  myself,  have  seen  the  original 
Greek. 

1.  Polybius,  a  historian,  describing  the  passage  of  an  army 
through  a  swollen  stream,  says:  "They  crossed  over  with  diffi- 
culty, the  foot  soldiers  being  baptized  (baptizo  omenoi)  up  to  the 
breast."' 

2.  Hippocrates,  illustrating  the  folly  of  blaming  others  for 
what  we  bring  on  ourselves,  says:  "Shall  I  not  laugh  at  the 
man  who,  having  baptized  (baptisanta)  his  ship  by  the  abun- 
dance of  freight,  finds  fault  with  the  sea  for  engulfing  it?" 

3.  In  iEsop's  fables  we  have  this:  "A  mule  laden  with  salt, 
having  gone  into  a  river,  accidentally  slipped  down ;  and  the 
salt  dissolving,  he  rose  up  lightened.  He  perceived  the  cause 
and  remembered  it,  so  that,  always  while  crossing  the  river, 
he  cunningly  lowered  down  and  baptized  (baptizein)  the  sacks 
or  panniers,"  which  held  the  salt.  Adopting  the  same  expe- 
dient for  lightening  his  load  when  laden  with  sponge  and  wool, 
the  poor  fellow  found  the  result  disastrously  different. 

4.  Strabo,  speaking  of  the  march  of  a  certain  army  between  a 
mountain  and  the  sea,  along  a  narrow  beach  which  was  some- 
times flooded,  says :  "  It  happened  that  they  walked  for  a  whole 
day  in  the  water,  being  baptized  (baptizomenoon)  up  to  the  waist." 

5.  The  same  writer,  in  the  same  work,  speaking  of  a  certain 
lake,  whose  waters  were  probably  impregnated  with  salt  or 
asphaltum,  says:  "It  happens  that  those  who  cannot  swim 
are  not  baptized  (baptizesthai) ,  but  float  like  wood." 

6.  Diodoras,  speaking  of  the  annual  overflow  of  the  Nile, 
says:  "Most  of  the  land  animals  being  surrounded  by  the 
river,  perish,  being  baptized  (baptizomena) ,  but  some,  escaping 
to  higher  places,  are  saved." 

7.  Strabo,  writing  about  a  salt  lake  in  Phrygia,  says:  "So 
readily  does  the  water  crystallize  around  everything  that  is 
baptized  (baptisthenti)  into  it,  that  whenever  they  let  down  a 
circle  of  rushes  they  drew  up  crowns  of  salt." 

These  examples  from  classic  Greek  (and  their  number  might 
be  greatly  multiplied),  show  unmistakably  the  sense  in  which 
the  old  Greeks  understood  the  word  in  dispute.  But  some  one 
may  say,  these  writers  were  heathens,  and  unacquainted  with 
the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  Jews ;  might  not  the  apostles, 
therefore,  who  were  native  Jews,  have  understood  the  word 
differently?     Fortunately,  and  I  believe  providentially,  we  have 


African  Baptist   Church.  329 

a  Greek  history,  written  about  the  same  time  with  the  New  Tes- 
tament, and  by  a  native  Jew,  and  in  the  very  sort  of  Greek  in 
which  the  New  Testament  was  written — Josephus'  History. 
In  this  work  the  word  baptizo  frequently  occurs,  and  not  once 
in  a  sense  different  from  that  in  the  examples  already  given 
from  classic  Greek.     We  give  a  few  instances: 

1.  Describing  the  murder  of  the  boy  Aristobolus,  he  says: 
"Continually  pressing  down  and  baptizing  (baptizantes)  him 
while  swimming,  as  if  in  sport,  they  did  not  stop  until  they  had 
completely  drowned  him.'1 

2.  Narrating  the  case  of  Jonah,  he  says:  "The  ship  being 
just  about  to  be  baptized  (baptizesthai),  the  sailors,  the  captain 
and  the  pilot  began  to  pray,"  etc. 

3.  Describing  a  battle  between  the  Romans  and  the  Jews  on 
the  sea  of  Galilee,  he  sa3rs:  "When  they  (the  Jews)  ventured 
to  come  near  (to  the  Romans),  they  sufferetl  harm  before  they 
could  inflict  any,  and  were  baptized  (ebaptizonto)  along  with 
their  ships;  and  those  of  the  baptized  (baptisthentoori)  who  lifted 
their  heads  above  the  water  were  either  killed  by  the  darts  or 
caught  by  the  ships"  [of  the  Eomans.] 

4.  Again  he  says,  narrating  a  personal  adventure :  "  Our  ship 
having  been  baptized  (baptisthentos)  in  the  midst  of  the  Adriatic 
Sea     *    *     *     we  swam  during  the  entire  night." 

But  why  multiply  these  instances  ?  I  will  give  but  one  more 
from  Josephus: 

5.  Describing  the  manner  of  purifying  the  people  during  the 
thirty  days' mourning  for  Miriam,  he  says:  "Casting  a  little 
of  the  ashes  [of  the  red  heifer]  into  a  fountain,  and  baptizing 
(baptizantes)  a  hyssop  branch,  they  sprinkled"  (errainori),  etc. 

6.  And  now,  just  one  more  to  conclude,  and  this  from  the 
Greek  translation  of  the  Old  Testament :  "  And  Naaman  went 
down  and  baptized  himself  (baptizeto)  in  the  Jordan  seven 
times,"  or  as  it  is  rendered  in  your  family  Bibles,  "  Dipped  him- 
self seven  times  in  the  Jordan." 

Now,  friends,  you  have  examples  of  Greek  usage  of  this 
much  controverted  word  baptizo,  and  you  can  judge  for  your- 
selves the  meaning  of  it.  You  need  not  go  any  more  to  lexicons, 
or  commentaries,  or  to  learned  men.  Your  own  eyes  have  seen, 
as  in  a  picture,  just  what  the  Greeks  meant  when  they  said  a 
person  or  thing  was  baptized.  And  you  are  now  prepared  to 
try  the  rights  of  proprietorship  in  this  word.  There  has  been  a 
number  of  claimants.  The  most  common  are  sprinkle,  pour  and 
immerse.  In  the  light  of  the  preceding  examples,  is  it  possible 
to  doubt  for  a  moment  which  claimant  has  a  right?  And  not  a 
single  witness  has  yet  been  found  in  the  whole  range  of  classic 


W  History  of  the  First 


or  Hellenistic  Greek  literature  that  utters  a  discordant  voice. 
Here  are  the  witnesses.  You  have  heard  their  testimony.  Nay, 
by  their  graphic  witness,  they  have  carried  you  in  person  to  the 
lakes,  the  seas,  the  rivers,  and  given  you  the  evidence  of  your 
own  eyes,  enabling  you  to  see,  as  in  a  panorama,  things  animate 
and  inanimate,  ships,  men,  animals,  etc.,  sinking  beneath  the 
waters. 

If  this  testimony  does  not  establish  the  right,  title  and  claim 
of  the  word  immerse  as  the  legitimate  heir  and  successor  of 
baptizo,  then  it  is  useless  to  try  to  prove  anything ;  and  if  this 
testimony  will  not  convince,  neither  would  people  be  persuaded 
though  one  rose  from  the  dead.  To  make  the  case  stronger, 
though,  if  such  be  possible,  we  need  only  bring  sprinkle  and 
pour  to  the  test  of  these  examples.  Try  them  as  translations 
of  the  word  baptizo,  and  if  there  had  been  a  lingering  doubt 
before,  this  practical  test  will  drive  it  away  as  chaff  before  the 
wind.  (Here  make  the  test  of  a  few — say  Nos.  1,  2,  3  in  classic 
Greek,  and  1,  2  and  4  in  Josephus). 

But  enough;  if  the  Greek  word  baptizo  does  not  mean  im- 
merse neither  does  immerse  itself  mean  immerse.  And  if  the 
Greek  baptizo  can  be  made  to  mean  sprinkle  or  pour,  6r  pour 
upon,  so  also,  and  just  as  easily,  can  the  English  word  im- 
merse— no  more,  no  less.  Now  this  word  baptizo,  an  acknowl- 
edged member  of  the  Greek  language,  and  proved  by  incon- 
trovertible evidence  to  mean  immerse,  and  nothing  else,  (for  if 
it  bear  any  other  meaning  in  the  whole  range  of  the  Greek 
literature  extant  when  the  New  Testament  was  written,  the 
instance  is  yet  to  be  found),  this  is  the  very  word  adopted 
by  the  holy  spirit  to  designate  and  describe  the  act  of  christian 
baptism.  The  command,  therefore,  to  be  baptized  is  a  com- 
mand to  be  immersed,  and  nothing  else  will  fulfill  it.  If  Jesus 
intended  for  us  to  be  sprinkled,  what  possible  reason  for  not 
using  a  word  having  that  meaning?  If  Jesus  intended  for  us 
to  have  water  poured  upon  us,  what  conceivable  reason  for  not 
using  a  word  that  said  so  ?  If  He  did  not  intend  for  us  to  be 
immersed,  why  did  He  use  a  word  that  means  immerse  ?  These 
questions  are  simply  unanswerable.  . 

Right  here  this  discussion  might  legitimately  stop.  The  ques- 
tion, "  What  is  the  act  of  baptism  ?"  has  been  answered.  Since 
Jesus  in  commanding  us  to  be  baptized  has  used  a  word  signi- 
fying immerse,  this  should  settle  the  whole  matter — both  the 
question  of  fact  and  also  of  duty.  Nothing  remains  but  to 
accept  the  fact — immersion  the  baptism  of  the  Bible,  and  fulfill 
the  duty — receive  this  baptism,  if  not  already  baptized. 


African  Baptist   Church.  331 

"But,"  says  some  one,  "don't  words  change  their  meaning?" 
So  they  do,  but  there  is  not  one  particle  of  proof  that  baptizo 
changed  its  meaning  when  introduced  into  the  New  Testament. 

And  says  another,  "I  don't  see  how  immersion  could  have 
been  performed  in  every  case  of  baptism  mentioned  in  the  New 
Testament."  And  must  your  inability  to  see  how  a  thing  could 
be  done  1800  years  ago  outweigh  and  set  aside  the  explicit  com- 
mand of  your  Lord  and  Master?  Grant  that  there  were  a 
thousand  difficulties,  there  still  stands  the  command  in  letters 
of  living  light,  "Repent  and  be  baptized,"  and  there  is  still  the 
inspired  testimony  "Then  they  that  gladly  received  His  word 
were  immersed,  and  the  same  day  there  were  added  unto  them 
about  3,000  souls."  But  I  do  not  grant  that  there  are  any 
difficulties  at  all  in  the  way  of  understanding  immersion  to  have 
been  the  one  and  exclusive  baptism  of  the  Bible.  The  diffi- 
culties (and  they  are  many  and  insuperable)  are  all  the  other 
way — sprinkling  and  pouring,  as  christian  baptism,  are  not 
only  without  the  shadow  of  a  foundation  in  the  original,  but 
they  are  utterly  inconsistent,  both  with  scripture  language  and 
scripture  facts.  But  let  us  go  to  the  New  Testament  and  take 
a  search  for  these  wonderful  difficulties;  and  just  remember 
they  must  be  proved : 

1.  "  Such  vast  multitudes  could  not  have  been  immersed  by 
John."  Answer — (1.)  John  may  not  have  baptized  personally 
one  hundreth  of  them.  (2.)  It  cannot  be  proved  that  such 
"vast  multitudes"  were  ever  baptized.  The  Jews  as  a  nation 
rejected  both  John  and  Jesus. 

2.  The  3,000. — "Their  baptism  was  impossible.  (1.)  The 
apostles  could  not.  (2.)  Not  enough  water.  (3.)  The  Jews 
would  not  let  them  use  it,  even  if  it  were  there."  Answer — (1.) 
No  proof  that  all  were  baptized  in  one  day.  (2.)  No  proof  that 
the  apostles  were  the  only  administrators;  (3.)  Even  if  they 
had  been  they  could  have  done  it,  and  in  three  hours.  (4.) 
History  records  two  cases  of  three  thousand  in  one  day  by  im- 
mersion, and  within  the  last  few  years  the  Baptist  missionaries 
to  the  Karens  baptized  in  one  day  largely  over  two  thousand. 
(5.)  The  objectors  must  prove  not  enough  water;  but  modern 
researches  have  proved  that  there  was  scarcely  a  city  in  the 
world  better  supplied.  (6.)  As  to  the  Jews  not  letting  them 
use  the  water — no  proof  of  it,  but  the  contrary. 

3.  The  jailer. — "The  jailer  could  not  have  been  immersed  at 
midnight,  and  that,  too,  in  the  jail."  Answer — No  proof  that 
it  was  done  in  the  jail,  but  the  contrary.  As  to  facilities,  no 
proof  that  they  were  not  ample.  You  must  prove  the  diffi- 
culties real — imaginary  ones  are  worthless. 


History  of  the  First 


4.  The  beds  and  tables. — "Impossible,"  one  says.  But  you 
must  prove  it  impossible,  and  that  is  impossible.  But  reliable 
Jewish  writers  say  the  Jews  did  do  these  very  things. 

5.  "The  Red  Sea  baptism,  was  that  immersion?"  Yes,  an 
immersion.  They  went  down  into  the  sea ;  the  waters  were  a 
wall  on  right  and  left,  and  the  cloud  was  overhead — they  were 
hidden  from  sight.     A  beautiful  figure  of  believers'  baptism ! 

6.  "The  Spirit's  baptism." — Just  remember  that  when  the 
writer  said  "pour"  he  used  a  word  that  meant  it.  The  pouring 
took  place  and  then  the  baptism. 

Here,  again,  this  discussion  might  stop.  We  find  nothing  in 
the  New  Testament  necessarily  inconsistent  with  immersion, 
and  so  must  accept  it.  Bapjtizo  in  the  New  Testament,  as  well 
as  out  of  it,  means  immerse,  and  immerse  only ;  and  so  immer- 
sion, and  immersion  only,  is  the  baptism  of  Christ's  appoint- 
ment. If  there  were  no  further  evidence  on  the  subject,  what 
has  been  already  adduced  should  be  sufficient  for  all  who  desire 
to  know  and  to  do  the  will  of  their  Lord  and  Master.  As  if,  how- 
ever, to  put  the  matter  beyond  even  the  shadow  of  a  doubt,  the 
Holy  Spirit  has  introduced  into  the  sacred  volume  facts  and  cir- 
cumstances which  unmistakably  point  to  immersion  and  to 
nothing  else. 

1.  Going  to  the  water,  and  not  bringing  the  water.  "But 
what  of  Cornelius'  baptism?  Did  not  Peter  say,  'can  any  man 
forbid  water?'  i.  e.,  to  be  brought."  And  if  it  had  been  the 
way  some  people  baptize  (so  called),  the  water  would  have  been 
brought.  The  subsequent  command,  proves  that  baptism  could 
not  be  conveniently  attended  to  just  then,  and  so  could  not 
have  been  sprinkling  or  pouring. 

2.  Going  to  a  place  of  "much  water,"  (1)  Enon;  (2)  the 
Jordan. 

3.  Baptizing  in  the  Jordan — the  Greek  en  and  eis. 

4.  Going  down. into  the  water,  and  coming  up  out  of  the 
water. 

5.  Baptizing  in  water;  the  element  water  opposed  to  the 
element  Holy  Spirit. 

6.  The  natural  meaning  to  all  the  words  gives  immersion — 
baptizo,  eis,  eh  and  en.  Now,  while  we  adopt  the  natural  meaning 
of  all  these  words,  affusionists,  on  the  other  hand,  have  to 
adopt  rare  and  far-fetched  meanings,  if  they  be  meanings  at 
all,  and  even  these  they  have  to  vary  from  time  to  time,  some- 
times making  the  same  word  have  different  meanings,  and 
sometimes  different  words  the  same  meaning.  In  the  case  of 
baptizo,  while  agreed  in  forsaking  the  natural  meaning,  they  can 
by  no  means  agree  among  themselves  what  unnatural  meaning 


African  Baptist   Church.  333 

they  shall  adopt.  The  prepositions  eis,  ek  arid  en  suffer  like 
violence  at  their  hands.  In  order  to  keep  Philip  and  the  eunuch 
out  of  the  water  they  plead  for  to  as  the  meaning  of  eis.  When, 
however,  they  come  to  the  baptism  of  Jesus,  as  narrated  by 
Mark,  to  say  "baptized  to  (eis)  the  Jordan'*  would  make  non- 
sense, and  so  they  have  to  adopt  at.  So  also  with  en.  John 
did  baptize  in  (en)  the  wilderness.  Here  they  admit  the  natu- 
ral meaning.  In  the  next  verse,  however,  this  natural  mean- 
ing would  give  us  "baptized  in  (en)  the  river  Jordan.'7  But 
this  points  too  plainly  to  immersion,  and  therefore  the  unnatu- 
ral meaning  at  is  brought  into  requisition.  In  verse  8,  this  same 
troublesome  preposition  en  comes  up  again,  but  here  at  will  not 
serve  the  affusionists.  "  Baptized  you  at  water,"  "  baptized  you 
at  the  Holy  Ghost"' — this  would  be  too  incongruous,  and  so 
with  is  resorted  to — "baptized  you  with  water'' — "with  the 
Holy  Ghost."  Now,  what  do  we  see  here  in  the  space  of  a  few 
verses?  In  verse  4,  en  is  admitted  to  mean  in ;  in  verse  5,  it  is 
said  to  mean  at;  in  verse  8,  with  is  claimed  as  the  meaning, 
while  in  verse  9,  the  meaning  at,  which  had  just  been  given  to 
en,  is  ascribed  to  eis,  which  latter  preposition,  mind  you,  in  the 
case  of  Philip  and  the  eunuch,  is  alleged  to  mean  to. 

Alas !  what  hopping  and  skipping  we  have  here.  What  shift- 
ing and  veering  and  dodging !  And  can  it  be  that  the  truth 
requires  the  assistance  of  such  tactics?  Take  a  single  one  of 
these  little  prepositions  in  its  natural  and  common  sense  meaning, 
and  the  spell  is  broken,  and  we  have  immersion  as  the  baptism 
of  the  Bible.  Take  them  all  in  their  natural  sense,  and  the  proof 
of  immersion  becomes  cumulative  and  overwhelming.  That 
even  one  of  the  words  in  dispute,  baptizo  included,  should  be 
used  unnaturally  in  a  plain  narrative  of  important  gospel  his- 
tory, would  be  strange,  but  that  they  should  all  be  thus  used, 
surpasses  belief.  And  yet  this  wonderful  thing,  for  which  there 
is  not  one  particle  of  evidence,  must  be  received  as  true,  before 
the  claims  of  immersion  can  be  set  aside.  Verily,  it  is  not  say- 
ing too  much  when  I  solemnly  declare  that  the  system  of  inter- 
pretation which  has  been  used  in  this  baptismal  controversy  by 
the  opponents  of  immersion,  if  applied  elsewhere,  would  destroy 
every  doctrine  and  change  every  command  of  God's  word. 

7.  The  testimony  of  Pom.,  vi,  4,  and  Col.,  ii,  12. — The  testi- 
mony of  these  two  noted  passages  is  so  plain  and  so  generally 
admitted  that  I  need  not  dwell  on  them.  The  learned  and  the  un- 
learned of  every  age  and  country  have  found  immersion  taught 
here.  "Buried  by  baptism,"  "Buried  in  baptism,"  this  seems 
to  be  the  very  thing  itself.  To  see  immersion  here,  one  only 
needs  to  look.     Not  to  see  it  requires  tedious  and  tortuous  pro- 


33J,.  History  of  the  First 


cesses  of  reasoning,  a  continual  struggle  against  the  testimony 
of  one's  own  eyes.     But  let  us  stop  a  little  while. 

1.  In  Romans  we  have  these  words:  "Therefore  we  are 
buried  with  Him  by  baptism  into  death,"  and  in  Colossians 
"Buried  with  Him  in  baptism,  wherein  ye  also  are  risen  with 
Him  through  faith  of  the  operation  of  God."  Combining  these, 
the}-  declare  that  we  are  buried  with  Christ  by  baptism  and  in 
baptism,  and  in  it  raised  up  again.  Being  a  declaration  of  scrip- 
ture, this  must  be  true.  But -how?  Itcan  not  be true  literally, 
for  in  a  literal  sense  the  Saviour  was  alone  in  His  death,  His 
burial,  and  His  resurrection.  To  suppose  that  baptism  puts  our 
bodies  in  Christ's  literal  grave  and  raises  them  up  again,  is  too  ab- 
surd to  think  of.  Neither  can  it  be  true  spiritually,  except  indeed 
we  should  adopt  the  dogma  of  baptismal  regeneration  and  say 
that  the  new  birth  takes  place  in  and  by  baptism.  For,  mark, 
it  is  distinctly  stated  that  this  burial  and  rising  again  take  place 
in  baptism  and  by  baptism.  And  if  this  be  true  in  the  spiritual 
sense,  then  we  have  baptismal  regeneration  full  and  complete, 
there  can  be  no  escape  from  it.  If  we  reject  the  literal  theory 
as  self-evidently  false,  and  the  spiritual  one  as  plainly  subver- 
sive of  vital  scripture  truth,  the  only  alternative  is  to  under- 
stand the  apostle  to  be  speaking  figuratively — just  as  Jesus  did 
when  he  said,  "  This  is  my  body."  He  did  not  mean  that  the 
bread  was  actually  His  body,  but  that  it  represented  or  sj^mbol- 
ized  His  body.  So  Paul  did  not  mean  that  we  are  actually 
buried  with  Christ  by  baptism  and  with  Him  raised  again,  either 
in  a  spiritual  or  literal  sense,  since  baptism,  however  important 
in  its  place,  does  neither  one ;  but  that  the  ordinance  of  bap- 
tism, including  as  it  does  our  immersion  in  water  and  our  sub- 
sequent emersion  from  it,  represents  our  spiritual  union  with 
Christ  in  His  burial  and  resurrection,  thereby  proclaiming  to 
the  world  our  own  death  to  sin  and  resurrection  to  newness  of 
life,  both  of  which  really  come  through  "faith  of  the  operation 
of  God." 

2.  We  reach  identically  the  same  conclusion  by  a  different 
and  independent  line  of  argument,  thus :  In  combating  the 
licentious  principle  that  we  may  live  in  (sin)  in  order  to  make 
more  conspicuous  the  forgiving  grace  of  God,  Paul  refers  to  the 
fact  that  all  believers  are  dead  to  sin,  and  in  proof  that  they  to 
whom  he  was  writing,  themselves,  recognized  this  fact,  he  alleges 
the  testimony  of  their  own  baptism.  Still  further  explaining  and 
emphasizing  this  point,  he  continues:  "Therefore,"  because  of 
this  death  to  sin,  "  we  are  buried  with  him  by  baptism  into 
death,  that  like  as  Christ  was  raised  from  the  dead  by  the 
glor}r  of  the  Father,  even  so  we  also  should  walk  in  newness  of 


African  Baptist   Church.  335 

life."  Now,  to  make  Paul  reason  logically,  our  baptism  must 
testify  that  we  have  died  to  sin  with  Christ,  with  Him  to  have 
been  buried,  and  with  Him  risen  again. 

But  how  can  baptism  give  this  testimony?  Baptism  has  no 
voice,  but  it  has  a  form,  and  its  form  must  speak,  and  this  it  does 
most  expressively  and  impressively  when  we  are  buried  beneath 
the  waters  "in  the  likeness  of  His  death"  and  raised  up  again 
"in  the  likeness  of  His  resurrection." 

Understand  baptism  to  be  immersion,  and  Paul's  reasoning 
here  is  clear  and  forcible.  Reject  immersion,  and  the  whole 
becomes  hopelessly  involved  and  confused.  Hence  the  justly 
celebrated  work  of  Conybeare  &  Howson  says,  (and  mark,  they 
were  not  Baptists,  but  Episcopalians):  "This  passage  cannot  be 
understood,  unless  it  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  primitive  bap- 
tism was  by  immersion." 

And  this  closes  our  reference  to  the  New  Testament  proofs 
of  immersion.  More  might  have  been  said,  but  let  this  suffice. 
Really,  the  demonstration  was  complete  without  any  of  this 
corroboratory  testimony.  The  Greek  word  baptizo  having  been 
shown  to  mean  immerse,  when  it  was  adopted  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  teach  the  ordinance,  of  course  it  must  be  understood 
in  this  sense,  without  some  clear  and  unmistakable  proof  for 
another  meaning.  Examining  the  inspired  volume,  however, 
we  find  not  only  nothing  against  this  meaning,  but  abundant 
and  decisive  evidence  for  it.  Immersion,  then,  and  immersion 
only,  must  stand  as  that  "one  baptism"  of  the  Bible. 

THE    TESTIMONY    OF    FACTS. 

The  argument  for  immersion  is  complete — it  needs  no  sup- 
plementing. Like  a  demonstration  in  Euclid,  it  proves  itself — 
as  soon  as  it  is  seen,  it  is  seen  to  be  true.  Some,  however,  will 
not  look  at  it.  To  arrest  the  attention  of  such,  and  show  them 
that  the  truth  certainly  does  lie  on  the  side  of  immersion,  the 
following  facts  are  presented.  Now  mark:  These  facts  form 
no  part  of  the  argument  for  immersion.  That  would  remain 
just  as  complete  and  conclusive  if  not  a  single  one  of  these  facts 
were  in  existence.  But  be  it  also  marked,  that  while  these 
facts  form  no  part  of  the  argument  for  immersion,  they  do 
testify  in  trumpet,  nay,  in  thunder  tones,  to  its  validity.  If  the 
argument  for  immersion  were  not  so  overwhelming,  these  facts 
would  not  exist.  But  now  listen  to  the  facts,  and  judge  of  the 
worth  of  their  testimony : 

1.  It  is  a  fact  that  while  immersionists  have  not  a  particle  of 
doubt  or  difference  as  to  the  meaning  of  baptizo  in  the  gospel 


336  History  of  the  First 


ordinance,  anti-irnmersionists  seem  utterly  at  sea.  Some  make 
it  "sprinkle,"  some  "pour,"  some  "pour upon,"  some  "purify," 
some  "wash,"  and  so  on;  and  some  claim  that  while  meaning 
none  of  these,  it  may  yet  include  them  all !  Now,  why  all  this  ? 
Why  are  learned  affusionists  so  bewildered  as  to  the  meaning  of 
a  simple  Greek  verb  ?  Why  are  some  clinging  to  this  meaning, 
and  some  to  that,  and  some  to  no  meaning  at  all?  Just 
because  they  are  on  the  wrong  side,  that  is  all. 

2.  It  is  a  fact  that  while  immersionists  generally,  and  Bap- 
tists in  particular,  are  fond  of  talking  about  following  the 
Saviour  in  the  ordinance  of  baptism,  "being  baptized  just  as  he 
was,"  "  imitating  the  example  He  set  us  at  the  Jordan,"  etc.,  our 
affusion  brethren  don't  do  it.  At  least,  I  never  heard  it.  On 
the  contrary,  they  quite  generally  oppose  the  idea  that  we  are 
to  look  upon  Christ's  baptism  as  a  model  for  ours.  Why  this 
difference?  Suppose  we  grant  that  Jesus  was  not  baptized  just 
to  set  us  an  example.  He  commands  us  to  be  baptized,  never- 
theless, and  his  own  baptism  furnishes  a  decisive  illustration 
of  what  baptism  is;  and  is  it  not  sweet  to  feel  that  we  are 
walking  in  his  footsteps,  and  receiving  the  very  same  rite  which 
he  hallowed  by  submitting  to  it  himself?  Why,  then,  should 
affusionists  so  generally  endeavor  to  turn  away  the  eyes  of  the 
people  from  the  Saviour's  baptism  ?  I  can  think  of  no  reason 
but  a  consciousness,  more  or  less  distinct,  of  contending  for 
something  as  baptism  which  they  do  not  believe  their  Lord  re- 
ceived. 

3.  It  is  a  fact  that  while  Baptists  universally  press  the  duty 
of  strict  compliance  with  scripture  command  and  scripture 
example  in  the  matter  of  baptism,  affusionists  are  notoriously 
given  to  pleading  for  christian  liberty — "that  it  doesn't  matter 
about  the  quantity  of  water,  so  the  heart  be  right."  Why  such 
talk,  if  they  do  not  feel  that  they  are  not  following  the  sacred 
scriptures? 

4.  It  is  a  fact  that  Baptists  are  perfectly  satisfied  that  they 
have  been  scriptural^  baptized.  Multitudes  who  have  been 
sprinkled  or  poured  upon  are  to  this  day  dissatisfied.  Why 
this? 

5.  It  is  a  fact  that  many  are  coming  to  us  every  year  from  the 
Methodists,  the  Presbyterians  and  other  affusion  denominations, 
because  of  dissatisfaction  with  their  baptism.  It  has  not  come 
to  light  that  a  single  one  has  left  our  ranks  because  dissatisfied 
with  his  immersion.  I  do  not  say  that  none  leave  us,  but  they 
do  not  leave  us  because  dissatisfied  with  their  immersion.  Why 
this  great  difference,  if  it  be  not  that  there  is  an  overwhelming- 
evidence  for  immersion  as  the  baptism  of  the  Bible  ? 


African  Baptist    Church.  337 

6.  It  is  a  fact  that  many  who  fail  to  seek  immersion  never- 
theless have  a  notion  that  it  is  the  primitive  baptism,  and  they 
only  fail  to  seek  it  because  they  think  it  is  not  essential  to  sal- 
vation. How  often  do  we  find  the  last  resort  of  the  hard- 
pressed  affusionist  to  be,  "  O  well,  I  think  I  can  get  to  heaven 
without  being  immersed."  But  who  ever  heard  of  a  Baptist 
solacing  himself  with  the  thought  that  he  could  get  to  heaven 
without  being  sprinkled  or  poured  upon  ?  They  don't  talk  that 
way.  Well,  why  not?  Most  undoubtedly  this  pleading  that 
immersion  is  not  essential  to  salvation  is  proof  that  those  who 
make  the  plea  nevertheless  believe  that  it  is  the  baptism  of  God's 
word.  It  also  proves  that  if  the  reception  of  the  identical 
baptism  of  the  ISTew  Testament  were  essential  to  admission  into 
heaven,  many  more  would  be  found  seeking  a  place  of  "much 
water."  Yes;  suppose  an  angel  should  be  sent  from  heaven, 
and  that  all  knew  of  a  truth  that  he  was  so  sent,  and  this  angel, 
by  God's  authority,  should  make  a  proclamation  that  all  who  did 
not  receive  the  identical  baptism  of  the  scriptures  within  a 
week's  time,  should  infallibly  be  lost,  not  giving  us  any  further 
light  than  we  now  have,  well,  I  don't  know  what  would  hap- 
pen; but  is  there  any  harm  in  telling  what  one  believes?  I'll 
do  it,  then.  While  I  do  not  believe  that  a  single  Baptist  in  all 
the  earth  would  seek  to  be  sprinkled  or  poured  upon,  I  do  verily 
believe  that  the  affusion  brethren  would  quite  generally  betake 
themselves  to  the  water ;  yes,  and  among  those  thronging  mul- 
titudes would  be  found  the  most,  if  not  all,  of  those  venerable 
divines  who  have  written  and  preached  so  learnedly  against 
exclusive  immersion.  I  think  they  would  reason  thus :  "Affu- 
sion may  do,  yes,  may  be  so,  but  if  I  have  got  only  one  chance 
for  my  life,  let  me  be  on  the  safe  side  and  take  immersion." 

7.  It  is  a  fact  that  while  witnessing  the  ceremony  of  asper- 
sion or  of  affusion  has  never  been  known  to  convert  any  one  to 
that  way  of  thinking,  the  witnessing  of  the  ordinance  of  im- 
mersion has  oftentimes  so  disturbed  people's  minds  that  they 
could  not  be  satisfied  until  they  themselves  went  down  into  the 
water. 

8.  It  is  a  fact  that  many  pious  and  ardent  affusionists  who  have 
undertaken  the  investigation  of  the  baptismal  question  for  the 
special  purpose  of  disproving  the  Baptist  view,  so  far  from  con- 
verting others  from  that  faith  have  converted  themselves  to  it. 
I  am  not  referring  to  the  many  who  have  studied  the  subject 
because  of  their  own  private  dissatisfaction  and  their  honest 
desire  to  know  and  obey  the  truth,  and  as  a  consequence  have 
espoused  our  views,  but  I  refer  especially  to  those  who  were 
put  forth  by  their  people,  or  came  forth  of  themselves,  as  lead- 


338  History  of  the  First 


ers  of  their  hosts  and  champions  of  their  faith.  Such  men,  for 
example,  as  Milo  P.  Jewett,  a  learned  author  and  educator, 
who  being  requested  by  his  church  to  preach  on  the  subject  of 
baptism  "to  silence  the  immersionists "  and  settle  the  disturbed 
minds  of  some  of  their  own  members,  determined  to  go  into  an 
original  and  thorough  investigation  of  the  whole  matter,  and 
in  consequence,  contrary  to  his  expectation,  his  interests,  his 
desires  and  his  predilections,  became  a  convert  to  the  very  views 
he  set  out  to  disprove.  Or  Alexander  Carson,  the  world-re- 
nowned critic  and  philologist,  who  thought  before  he  tried  it, 
to  use  his  own  words,  that  he  "  could  demolish  the  arguments 
of  the  Baptists  as  easily  as  one  could  crush  a  fly."  After  inves- 
tigating and  writing  for  a  whole  month,  he  threw  all  his  work 
in  the  fire,  and  to  the  amazement  of  his  people  announced  him- 
self a  Baptist. 

Take  just  one  more  case :  Burmah's  great  missionar}^,  Adon- 
iram  Judson.  Young,  pious,  gifted,  zealous  for  the  custom  of  his 
Puritan  fathers,  went  forth  to  the  heathen,  bearing  a  commis- 
sion from  the  most  ancient,  and  probably,  at  that  time,  the  most 
honored  affusion  denomination  in  America  In  a  little  time, 
much  to  his  own  surprise  and  the  surprise  of  the  world,  we  find 
him,  like  his  celebrated  prototype,  joined  to  the  sect  every- 
where spoken  against,  and  "preaching  the  faith  which  once  he 
destroyed."  How  did  this  marvelous  change  come  about?  It  is 
substantially  the  same  story  that  has  been  told  in  a  multitude 
of  other  cases.  Mr.  Judson,  expecting  to  meet  the  Baptist  mis- 
sionaries at  Serampore,  "felt  it  important,  for  the  honor  of  his 
denomination,  to  be  able  to  defend  its  sentiments."  He  had 
been  taught  from  childhood  to  believe  his  system  correct,  now 
he  essays  to  prove  it  so.  But  alas  for  the  cherished  faith  of  his 
childhood !  and  alas  for  his  own  peace  of  mind !  The  more  he 
examined  the  subject,  the  more  he  became  conscious  that  both 
as  to  mode  and  subjects  of  baptism  he  was  in  error.  A  painful 
conflict  at  once  began  between  principle  and  preference.  He 
did  not  want  to  be  a  Baptist.  His  whole  soul  shrank  back  from 
it,  but  the  truth  was  his  object,  and  the  truth  made  him  a  Bap- 
tist. I  earnestly  commend  the  case  of  Judson  to  every  pious 
and  intelligent  opposer  of  immersion.  His  conversion  to  the 
Baptist  faith ,  under  the  circumstances,  is  truly  wonderful.  Just 
see:  Judson 's  piety  and  indomitable  energy  had  given  birth, 
under  God,  to  the  foreign  mission  enterprise  in  America.  To 
sustain  him  and  his  associates,  the  first  American  foreign  mis- 
sion society  had  just  been  organized;  and  he  was  the  chief 
spirit,  the  very  soul  of  that  first  missionary  company  which  had 
ever  left  the  shores  of  the  New  World.     To  him  all  eyes  were 


African  Baptist   Church.  -139 

directed,  and  in  hini  all  hearts  confided.  Surely,  in  his  case, 
self-interest,  reputation,  family,  social  and  denominational 
attachments,  the  memories  of  the  past  and  the  glowing  hopes 
of  the  future — nay,  every  conceivable  earthly  motive — all  com- 
bined to  keep  him  where  he  was.  Judson.  then,  must  have 
believed  that  truth  lay  on  the  side  of  the  Baptists,  else  he  had 
not  joined  them. 

But  now  (and  here  comes  the  test  question),  how  could  he 
have  thus  believed,  under  all  the  circumstances  surrounding 
him,  unless  compelled  by  the  irresistible  force  of  the  truth? 
Every  possible  influence  tending  to  prevent  an  impartial  judg- 
ment of  the  issues  involved  was  against  the  Baptist  side,  and 
in  favor  of  his  own.  And  be  it  particularly  observed,  that  he 
began  the  investigation  with  all  the  burning  zeal  of  a  youthful 
partisan,  anxious  to  establish  and  defend  the  faith  of  his  fathers. 
That  such  a  one,  under  such  circumstances,  with  such  ante- 
cedents and  such  surroundings,  should  have  come  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  the  "immersion  of  a  professing  believer  in  Christ  is 
the  only  christian  baptism,'"  seems  little  short  of  a  voice  from 
the  skies,  saying,  "This  is  the  way;  walk  ye  in  it." 

But  some  one  may  say,  "What  about  conversions  from  the 
Baptist  view  ?  AVhat  do  th  ey  prove  ? " '  I  cannot  tell ;  for  I  have 
never  heard  or  read  of  any  such  as  I  have  described,  and  many 
others  that  I  might  give.  There  may  be,  and  doubtless  will 
continue  to  be,  many  departures  from  the  Baptist  ranks,  and 
for  various  reasons.  Unfortunately,  many  people  do  not  make 
denominational  connection  a  matter  of  principle,  but  simply  of 
pleasure  or  of  policy.  But  if  there  has  ever  been  a  case  where  a 
zealous  Baptist,  of  undoubted  piety  and  intelligence,  after  a 
thorough  and  prayerful  examination  of  the  subject,  and  with 
no  conceivable  motive  but  love  of  the  truth  and  loyalt}7  to  Jesus, 
came  to  the  deliberate  conclusion  that  he  had  never  been  baptized, 
and  therefore  went  over  to  the  affusionists,  asking  for  scrip- 
tural baptism — why,  let  it  be  produced.  But  no  such  case  has 
ever  occurred,  or  will  ever  occur,  and  nobody  expects  any  such 
to  occur. 

Well,  why  this  great  difference  ?  No  one  can  naturally  prefer 
immersion,  but  the  contrary ;  for  it  is  decidedly  more  inconve- 
nient, to  say  nothing  else.  And  so,  if  there  were  no  preponder- 
ance of  evidence  for  immersion,  every  one  would  eschew  it  and 
adopt  affusion ;  and  particularly  those  whose  interests  and  preju- 
dices were  already  on  the  side  of  affusion  would  be  sure  never  to 
give  it  up.  How  comes  it,  then,  that  so  many  of  every  age  and 
sex  and  rank,  learned  and  unlearned,  rich  and  poor,  teachers  and 
the  taught,  in  spite  of  the  inconvenience  of  immersion,  in  spite 


SJfi  History  of  the  First 


of  their  early  training  and  consequent  prejudice  against  it  and 
in  favor  of  affusion,  in  spite  of  the  natural  shame  of  confessing^ 
one's  self  wrong,  in  spite  of  the  powerful  influence  of  family, 
social  and  religious  ties,  and  the  frequent  jeopardizing  of  im- 
portant temporal  interests,  how  comes  it  that  so  many  in  the 
face  of  all  this  array  of  opposing  motives  give  up  affusion  and 
adopt  immersion  as  the  only  christian  baptism  ?  There  is  no 
possible  explanation  but  that  on  the  side  of  immersion  is  found 
the  truth.  And  now,  christian  friends,  you  who  have  repented, 
and  yet  up  to  this  hour  have  suffered  yourselves  to  put  up  with 
something  which  your  conscience  told  you  was  not  the  baptism 
the  Saviour  received,  what  are  you  going  to  do  about  it? 
"Well,"  some  of  you  may  say,  "good  and  great  men  have 
believed  in  and  practiced  affusion,  is  it  not  safe  to  follow  them  ?" 

The  question  is  not  what  have  good  men  believed,  but  what 
does  the  Bible  teach  ?  Not  what  good  men  have  done,  but 
what  has  your  Lord  commanded?  Will  you  follow  men  or 
Christ?  Whose  example  is  the  more  precious  to  you?  "But 
baptism  is  nothing  but  a  ceremony,  it  doesn't  matter  much 
whether  we  submit  to  it  or  not."  Baptism  is  a  ceremony,  but 
not  a  mere  ceremony.  It  is  a  ceremony,  it  is  true,  but  it 
is  one  of  God's  selection  and  appointment- — to  neglect  or 
despise  it,  is  to  treat  with  contempt  the  One  who  ordained  it. 
"But  you  Baptists  do  not  believe  that  immersion  is  essential 
to  salvation,  we  can  be  saved  even  if  we  do  not  go  under 
the  water."  Ah!  here  is  your  final  refuge;  when  routed  from 
every  other  place  you  hide  here.  Here  you  think  you  can  rest 
in  peace.  But  what  a  resting  place  for  a  christian !  You  have 
a  strong  conviction  that  immersion  is  the  baptism  taught  in 
the  Bible,  that  Christ  was  immersed,  and  that  the  apostles  prac- 
ticed immersion,  bvit  because  you  think  you  can  be  saved  with- 
out it,  you  let  it  alone !  To  save  your  souls  you  would  be  will- 
ing to  submit  to  immersion,  but  to  be  immersed  in  order  to 
obey  Christ  and  to  follow  His  example,  you  are  unwilling.  And 
yet  you  claim  to  love  Jesus!  Jesus  says:  " He  that  hath  my 
commandments  and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  me." 

Obedience  is  the  final  and  best  test  of  love.  Whatever  we 
do  or  don't  do,  let  us  be  sure  to  "  Fear  God  and  keep  His  com- 
mandments, for  this  is  the  whole  duty  of  man ;  for  God  will 
bring  every  work  into  judgment,  with  every  secret  thing 
whether  it  be  good,  or  whether  it  be  evil."     Amen. 

Note.— Much  of  this  is  but  an  abtract  of  Dr.  Kilpatrick's  able  discourse.  Much 
of  it  was  delivered  extemporaneously. 


African  Bajrtist   Church.  SJf.1 


BY  REV.  J.  H.  KILPATRICK,  D.  D.,  WHITE  PLAINS,  GA. 

NO  ROYAL  ROAD*  TO  CHURCH  PROSPERITY: 

Or,  The  Necessity  for  Patient  Continuance  in  the  Scripture  Plan  of 
Promoting  the  Prosperity  of  Our  Churches. — Ps.,  .cvxrii,  SI4.. 

Every  lover  of  Christ  must  desire '  the  prosperity  of  His 
churches.  All  pious  hearts  are  one  here.  Moreover,  when  the 
question  is  asked,  ''How  is  this  prosperity  to  be  secured?  what 
is  the  best  plan?"  doubtless  all  will  readily  agree  that  the  best 
plan  is  the  scriptural  plan,  whatever  that  may  be.  The  object 
of  the  present  endeavor  is  to  ascertain  this  scripture  plan,  and 
to  urge  upon  all  its  adoption  and  a  patient  continuance  in  it. 

*  As  to  the  expression,  "  No  Royal  Road,"  to  give  its  reputed  origin  will  best 
explain  its  meaning.  It  is  related  that  Euclid  was  once  asked  by  a  certain  king, 
Ptolemy  Lagus,  I  believe,  whether  there  was  not  a  shorter  and  easier  way  to  a 
knowledge  of  geometry  than  that  which  he  had  laid  down  in  his  Elements; 
whereupon  the  great  mathematician  replied,  iu  words  which  have  been  stereo- 
typed for  all  coming  time,  "No;  there  is  no  royal  road  to  geometry,"  meaning 
that  there  was  no  short  and  easy  method  for  him,  a  king,  any  more  than  for 
others;  that  the  same  need  of  toilsome,  pa'ient  effort  pressed  upon  ail  alike. 
What  was  then  and  is  now  true  of  a  knowledge  of  geometry,  is  also  true  of 
church  prosperity. 

Church  prosperity  may  be  viewed  in  two  aspects — the  inter- 
nal and  the  external.  Churches  are  composed  of  individuals, 
and  these  individuals  should  be  new  creatures ;  and  these  new 
creatures  should,  day  by  day,  be  growing  up  into  Him  who  is 
the  head,  in  all  things,  and  ever  walking  as  becometh  His 
gospel.  Now,  in  proportion  as  churches  are  actually  composed 
of  such  new  creatures,  thus  growing  and  thus  walking,  in  like 
proportion  may  they  be  said  to  be  in  a  prosperous  condition. 
This  is 

INTERNAL  CHURCH  PROSPERITY ; 

and  it  is  to  be  sought  (1)  by  making  our  churches  accord  with 
New  Testament  antecedents  in  members,  officers,  operations, 
doctrines  and  ordinances ;  (2)  by  cultivating,  as  individuals,  a 
high  degree  o.  personal  piety,  striving  to  bring  every  thought 
and  feeling  and  affection  and  principle  into  complete  and 
loving  subjection  to  Jesus,  and  manifesting  this  subjection  of 
our  hearts  by  the  blamelessness  and  consecration  of  our  lives ; 
and  (3)  as  promotive  of  the  foregoing,  by  maintaining  a  godly 
discipline.  This  is  internal  church  prosperity ;  and  this  is  the 
scriptural  plan  for  attaining  it.  If  we  desire  the  prosperity,  let 
us  adopt  the  plan. 


SJf.2  History  of  the  First 


But  it  is  mainly  of  the  external  church  prosperity  that  I  wish 
to  speak.  Of  course,  our  churches  should  earnestly  seek  after 
internal  growth  and  prosperity ;  but  this  is  not  enough,  and  it 
should  not  and  can  not  satisfy  them.  The  internal  is  really 
but  a  base,  upon  which  and  out  of  which  is  to  rise  a  higher  and 
nobler  prosperity — the  external.  Botanists  divide  plants  into 
two  classes — those  which  grow  within,  and  those  which  grow 
without.  The  churches  of  Christ  embody  both  in  one.  The 
Saviour's  kingdom  is  to  be  advanced  not  only  in  individual 
christian  hearts,  but  also  in  the  world;  and  it  can  only  make 
progress  in  the  world  by  conversions  from  the  world.  This 
growth  of  the  churches  by  accessions  from  the  ranks  of  the 
ungodly  is 

EXTERNAL  CHURCH  PROSPERITY. 

And  here  let  us  dwell  at  greater  length. 

Jesus  came  to  seek  and  to  save  the  lost.  And  those  who  are 
found  and  saved  forthwith  desire  to  be  instrumental  in  finding 
and  saving  others.  This  is  the  law  of  the  new  creation.  He 
who  is  saved  by  Christ  is  at  once  brought  into  fellowship  with 
Christ,  and  so  into  a  cordial  sympathy  with  the  object  which 
brought  Him  into  the  world.  The  saved  soul  not  only  desires 
an  increase  of  the  Saviour's  dominion  in  himself,  but  that  it 
should  extend  over  others.  Now  the  churches  of  Christ, 
normally  and  properly,  are  but  communities  of  these  saved 
souls — not  only  themselves  saved,  but  ardently  desiring  the 
salvation  of  others.  And  churches  were  originated  not  only 
for  the  development  and  growth  in  truth  and  holiness  of  their 
individual  members,  but  that  thus  these  might  labor  more 
efficiently  in  bringing  the  outside  world  to  Jesus.  In  this  latter 
purpose  of  a  church's  organization  is  found  its  highest  and  last 
subordinate  end;  and  thus  only,  according  to  the  divine  plan, 
can  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  in  its  present  state,  be  perpetuated 
from  generation  to  generation,  and  all  the  number  of  the 
redeemed  be  finally  brought  in.  Hence  it  is  that  the  Lord's 
people  are  said  to  be  the  light  of  the  world ;  but  if  none  are 
guided  by  them  into  the  way  of  life,  is  not  their  light  virtual 
darkness  ?  And  so  they  are  said  to  be  the  sab:  of  the  earth ; 
but  if  none  feel  their  salvatory  influence,  wherein  is  the  fleshly 
mass  of  humanity  the  better  for  their  existence?  While,  there- 
fore, churches  should  assuredly  seek  after  the  largest  inward 
development — the  completest  conformity,  in  heart  and  in  life, 
in  faith  and  in  practice,  to  the  divine  requirement,  they  must 
not,  and  surely  they  can  not,  be  satisfied  with  this :  the  culmin- 
ation of  all  church  progress,  the  final  results  of  all  healthy  and 


African  Baptist   Church.  3J/.3 

matured  church  life,  niust  be  looked  for  iu  a  spiritual  posterity 
rising  up  around  theni  to  take  their  places  and  perpetuate  their 
name. 

And  as  it  is  natural  and  right  that  churches  should  desire  to 
see  souls  converted,  so  they  ought  to  expect  it ;  and  when  these 
desires  and  expectations  are  not  realized,  as  they  so  far  fail  to 
accomplish  the  end  of  their  being,  they  should  distrust  the 
healthfulness  of  their  condition.  Surely  there  must  be  a  cause 
for  this  abnormal  state  of  things.  And  we  should  not  too  soon 
fly  to  God's  sovereignty  to  find  a  solution.  May  there  not  be 
some  cause  personal  to  ourselves?  Some  derangement,  organic 
or  functional?  Some  obstruction?  Some  lurking  disease,  which 
demands  attention  ?  Brethren  in  Christ,  churches  of  the  saints, 
if  souls  be  not  converted  in  connection  with  our  labors,  we 
should  suspect  the  presence  of  evil  somewhere,  and  should 
earnestly  search  for  it,  and  finding  it,  should  earnestly  set 
about  effecting  its  removal. 

But  let  us  suppose  that  we  are  measurably  prepared  for  the 
great  work  of  leading  sinners  to  Christ.  And  we  must  work  in 
this  way,  whether  fully  prepared  or  not.  Laboring  to  rescue 
others  will  help  to  rescue  ourselves  from  the  dominion  of  sin, 
and  increase  our. efficiency  for  further  labor.  The  great  law  of 
the  Kingdom  of  Grace  is,  "  He  that  watereth  shall  be  watered 
also  himself."  While  striving  to  save  those  without,  reflex 
benefits  will  flow  in  upon  our  own  souls. 

But  how  shall  the  churches  best  fulfill  this  their  great  mis- 
sion ?     In  other  words,  what  is  the 

NEW  TESTAMENT  PLAN  OF  SEEKING  THE  SALVATION  OF  SINNERS? 

An  attentive  consideration  of  the  teachings,  the  lives  and  the 
labors  of  the  Saviour  and  His  apostles,  shows  that  this  plan  in- 
volves two,  and  only  two,  essential  points :  First,  the  earnest, 
faithful  presentation  of  the  truth,  especially  the  truth  concern- 
ing Christ  and  Him  crucified.  Secondly,  sincere  prayer  for  the 
Spirit's  power  to  accompany  the  truth  so  presented,  preparing 
the  way  for  its  reception,  and  making  it  effectual  to  the  salva- 
tion of  the  soul. 

Under  the  first  of  these  two  may  be  mentioned,  especially,  the 
public  preaching  of  the  Word — this  justly  occupying  the  fore- 
most and  highest  place.  Nearly  allied  to  it  is  the  presentation 
of  gospel  truth  and  gospel  motives  to  sinners  under  any  circum- 
stances, and  by  anybody — whether  parents,  Sunday  school 
teachers,  or  any  other  lover  of  Jesus  and  of  souls.  Here,  also, 
must  be  included  the  circulation   of  the  scriptures,  religious 


SJfJf.  History  of  the  First 


books,  tracts,  and  all  publications  wliich  unfold  and  enforce  the 
truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  In  short,  the  sinner  and  the  gospel 
must  be  brought  together.  If  he  will  not  come  to  it,  we  must 
carry  it  to  him ;  and  if  he  will  not  hear  it  from  living  lips,  we 
must  try  to  get  him  to  read  it  from  the  printed  page. 

The  second  part,  prayer,  of  course  implies  an  antecedent — 
faith  in  God,  and  a  firm  reliance  upon  Him,  and  Him  alone,  for 
success,  and  includes  all  earnest,  believing  prayer,  whether 
going  up  in  breathings  and  ejaculations  from  amid  the  pressure 
of  daily  business,  or  in  more  deliberate  and  formal  manner, 
from  the  closet,  the  family  altar,  the  social  prayer  meeting,  or 
the  public  congregation. 

THE  SCRIPTURAL  PLAN  OF  PROMOTING  CHURCH  PROSPERITY. 

The  preaching  of  the  gospel,  therefore,  or  the  presentation  of 
the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  and  prayer  to  God,  may  be  called  the 
New  Testament  plan  of  laboring  for  the  salvation  of  sinners ; 
and  this  completes  the  scriptural  plan  of  promoting  the  pros- 
perity of  our  churches.     Let  all  workers  for  Christ  adopt  it. 

But  before  going  any  further,  let  us  mark  this :  To  adopt 
and  truly  carry  out  this  plan  requires  self-denial,  self-sacri- 
fice, self-consecration — a  high  sense  of  individual  responsibility, 
followed  and  thus  verified  by  earnest  individual  effort,  and  the 
expenditure  of  time,  and  talent,  and  strength,  and  fortune,  in 
the  service  of  the  Master,  and  that  according  to  the  measure  of 
the  ability  and  the  opportunitj^.  And  very  especialty  (and 
here  is  revealed  the  grand  instrumental  power  for  the  conver- 
sion of  the  world,  but  alas,  greatly  wanting  in  these  latter  days), 
it  requires  not  only  that  the  gospel  be  presented  to  the  ungodly, 
but  that  it  be  lived  before  the  ungodly.  In  a  word,  it  requires 
on  the  part  of  both  preachers  and  people,  a  close  walk  with 
God — earnest,  faithful  living  and  working  for  God — abiding 
trust  in  God,  and  constant,  importunate  prayer  to  God. 

Now  we  are  ready  to  consider  the 

NECESSITY  OF  PATIENT  CONTINUANCE  IN  THIS  SCRIPTURAL  PLAN  OF 
PROMOTING  CHURCH  PROSPERITY. 

A  number  of  scriptures  clearly  present  and  enforce  the 
thought  here  suggested.  "  For  ye  have  need  of  patience,  that, 
after  ye  have  done  the  will  of  God,  ye  might  receive  the  prom- 
ise."— Heb.,  x,  36.  "  That  ye  be  not  slothful,  but  followers  of 
them  who  through  faith  and  patience  inherit  the  promises." — 
Heb.,  vi,  12.  "And  let  us  not  be  weary  in  well  doing:  for  in 
due  season  we  shall  reap,  if  we  faint  not." — Gal.,  vi,  9.     "Eest 


African  Baptist   Church.  3^5 

in  the  Lord,  and  wait  patiently  for  him:  fret  not  thyself 
because  of  him  who  prospereth  in  his  way,  because  of  the  man 
who  bringeth  wicked  devices  to  pass.'' — Ps.,  xxxvii,  7.  And 
especially  our  text,  "Wait  on  the  Lord,  and  keep  His  way,  and 
He  shall  exalt  thee  to  inherit  the  land." 

The  tenor  of  these  scriptures,  taken  as  a  whole,  is  about  this : 
Adopt  God's  way ;  continue  in  God's  way  patiently ;  a  patient 
continuance  in  God's  way  will  lead  to  success.  The  plan  which 
we  have  just  been  considering  is  God's  way  to  church  pros- 
perity— no  so-called  "royal  road."  widened  and  smoothed  down 
and  paved  to  suit  the  demands  of  princely  ease,  and  indolence, 
and  self-indulgence,  and  worldly  lusts,  but  the  true  royal  road, 
the  King's  highway  of  holiness,  along  which  the  ransomed  of 
the  Lord  shall  be  led  upward  and  onward  to  prosperity  and 
usefulness  here,  and  to  glory  and  happiness  hereafter. 

1.  Let  us  adopt  it.  It  is  God's  plan.  Every  deviation  from 
it  springs  froin  a  sinful  deference  to  fleshly  pleasure  or  fleshly 
wisdom.  It  is  simple:  involving  no  complex  machinery,  the 
youngest  child  of  grace  can  understand  it.  It  is  practicable : 
its  requirements  fall  within  the  capacity  of  the  weakest  and 
obscurest  saint,  while  yet  they  give  full  scope  to  the  learning 
and  zeal  of  a  Paul  or  the  eloquence  of  an  Apollos. 

2.  Let  us  not  only  adopt  it,  but  hold  on  to  it,  and  hold  on  to 
it  patiently.  A  patient  holding  on  implies  an  actual  and  earnest 
desire  to  see  the  end  attained — souls  saved,  Zion  prospered,  God 
glorified.  And  it  implies  a  desire  to  bear  a  part  ourselves  in 
securing  this  end.  Some  seem  quite  anxious  to  see  the  cause 
prosper,  but  they  are  more  anxious  to  see  others  do  the  work- 
ing and  spending  and  sacrificing.  A  patient  holding  on  to 
God's  way  implies  not  only  a  willingness  to  be  personally  em- 
ployed, but  much  employed — to  work  and  to  work  hard — to 
toil  and  toil  on — to  make  sacrifices,  and  to  make  many  and 
great  sacrifices.  We  may  desire  the  end,  and  even  desire  to 
do  something  to  secure  it,  but  our  desires  may  not  be  strong- 
enough  to  overcome  our  natural  love  of  ease,  or  other  selfish 
propensities.  Especially,  a  patient  holding  on  implies  and  re- 
quires a  controlling  sense  of  obligation  to  obey  God,  and  an  un- 
faltering trust  in  God,  let  the  immediate  issue  be  what  it  may. 
Any  of  us  can  work  pretty  well  when  we  see  the  fruits  of  our 
labor  quickly  following.  To  work  and  wait,  to  toil  and  not 
faint — this  requires  not  only  an  ardent  desire  for  the  end,  but 
a  strong  faith  and  a  heroic  obedience.  He  who  patiently  keeps 
God's  way  will  often  be  compelled  to  walk  b}"  faith,  for  sight 
will  fail  him.  Like  Moses,  he  will  have  to  endure  ;'as  seeing 
Him  who  is  invisible." 


SJ^6  History  of  the  First 


3.  A  patient  continuance  in  this  plan  will  be  sure  to  have  a 
happy  issue,  and  nothing  else  will.  "  My  soul,  wait  thou  only 
upon  God."  "Wait  on  the  Lord  and  keep  His  way,  and  He 
shall  exalt  thee  to  inherit  the  land." 

And  right  here  my  discourse  is  complete,  so  far  as  the  line  of 
thought  is  concerned.  But  in  the  times  now  upon  us  there 
seems  to  be  special  reason  for  emphasizing  this  patiently- 
holding-on  idea,  and  that  is  just  what  I  desire  especially  to  do. 

A  RESTLESS  AGE. 

Our  lots  have  fallen  in  a  restless,  impatient,  greedy,  and  yet 
ease-loving  age.  Railroads,  telegraphs  and  the  like  have  been 
begotten  by,  and  in  turn  have  begotten,  a  general  demand  for 
short  routes  and  quick  results.  Air  lines,  lightning  expresses 
and  close  connections  are  the  order  of  the  day.  The  old  paths 
are  being  forsaken  and  new  ones  opened  up.  Rivers  are  bridged, 
mountains  tunneled,  continents  cleft  in  sunder.  And  it  is 
not  only  nigh  cuts  and  short  routes  that  are  called  for,  but 
easier  routes  and  cheaper  routes.  Time,  and  money,  and  labor, 
all  must  be  economized;  and  time-saving,  and  money-saving, 
and  labor-saving  machines  and  devices  are  in  the  ascendant. 

Now,  why  should  the  children  of  this  world  ever  be  wiser  in 
their  generation  than  the  children  of  light  ?  Modern  Christian- 
ity seems  determined  to  wipe  off  this  old  reproach.  It  means 
to  keep  abreast  with  the  times.  While  everything  else  is 
moving,  must  it  still  be  hampered  and  retarded  by  the  cum- 
brous and  flesh-mortifying  methods  of  eighteen  centuries? 
Shall  commerce,  and  manufactures,  and  agriculture,  and  edu- 
cation, and  even  the  art  of  human  butchery,  be  emancipated 
from  the  moss-grown  systems  of  the  past,  and  religion  have  no 
part  in  the  general  jubilee?  Not  so;  the  religion  (?)  of  this 
progressive  era  claims  equal  rights  and  concurrent  immunities 
— yes,  the  churches  (many  of  them)  have  manifestly  caught  the 
spirit  of  the  age,  and  disdaining  the  slow  and  plodding  processes 
of  prayer,  and  work,  and  self-denial,  and  self-sacrifice,  and 
patient  waiting,  have  struck  out  for  quicker  methods  and  easier 
routes  to  the  salvation  of  souls  and  the  prosperity  of  Zion. 

THE  ECCLESIASTICAL  SHORT  LINE. 

Some  seem  to  have  had  wonderful  success  in  running  the 
short-line  schedule.  Others  have  looked  on.  They  are  unwilling 
to  be  distanced  in  the  race.  They  covet  the  glowing  results, 
and  yet  they  are  not  disposed  to  toil  and  pray  and  wait,  do 
their  duty,  and  leave  the  event  with  God.     The  pressure  is 


African  Baptist   Church.  3Jfi' 

heavy  upon  them.  Their  own  restless  hearts  cry  out  for  results, 
and  an  impatient  world  demands  results ;  but  the  results  don't 
come.  What  shall  they  do?  The  only  alternative  is  to  forsake 
the  old  path,  and  take  a  nigh-cut. 

How  is  it  with  our  churches — aye,  Baptist  churches '?  Have 
they  escaped  the  infection?  Is  it  not  largely  true  that  where 
not  shamefully  indifferent  to  the  prosperity  of  Zion,  as  many  of 
them  are,  they  are  seeking  out  methods  which  will  necessitate 
the  smallest  possible  outlay  of  faithful,  self-denying  labor?  We 
want  prosperity ;  we  want  to  see  souls  converted  and  the  cause 
advanced.  So  far,  so  good.  God's  plan  is  to  accomplish  these 
ends  through  the  prayers,  and  efforts,  and  sacrifices  of  his 
people.  But  this  doesn't  suit  the  carnal  nature.  It  requires 
too  much  self-denial ;  too  much  closet  religion ;  too  much  every 
day  religion.  Besides,  it  takes  too  long.  Can  we  not  think  of 
some  shorter  and  easier  way?  Here  then  come  in  various 
nigh-cuts  and  short  roads — by-ways  to  avoid  the  "hill  of 
difficulty." 

PROTRACTED    MEETINGS. 

1.  Is  the  protracted  meeting.  Now  hear  before  you  strike. 
I  do  not  object  to  protracted  meetings  as  such.  There  may  be 
occasions  when  they  would  be  eniinentty  appropriate,  and,  if 
properly  managed,  eminently  useful.  And  I  am  not  now  ob- 
jecting to  their  customary  management,  which  in  the  main  is 
exceedingly  unwise,  and  generally  quite  disastrous  in  ultimate 
results.  What  I  am  objecting  to  is  the  foundation  principle 
upon  which  they  are  usually  based — the  immediate,  underlying- 
motive  which  too  often  induces  us  to  desire  them,  and  to  hold 
them. 

Just  see :  A  church  is  in  a  cold — it  may  be,  a  declining  con- 
dition. jSTo  new  recruits  are  coming  in ;  things  drag  heavily ; 
other  churches  and  other  denominations  are  outstripping.  What 
is  to  be  done  ?  Instead  of  purifying  their  rank*  and  purifying 
their  hearts — cutting  off  evil  doers  from  their  fellowship  and 
forsaking  their  own  covetousness  and  worldliness,  and  number- 
less inconsistencies — rooting  up  the.  thorns  and  noxious  weeds, 
and  breaking  up  the  fallow  ground,  and  casting  in  the  pure 
seed,  and  watering  it  with  their  prayers  and  tears,  they  con- 
clude to  have  a  protracted  meeting  and  do  the  work  of  a 
year,  or  ten  years,  in  a  week  or  two.  And  it  will  be  well  if, 
even  during  the  meeting,  a  tithe  of  the  members  can  be  induced 
to  lay  hold  and  work.  They  want  to  see  the  cause  prosper,  oh 
yes,  and  they  want  the  protracted  meeting,  but  they  don't  want 

23 


SJf.8  History  of  the  First 


to  work  in  it.  They  favored  it  under  the  idea  that  it  was  a 
labor-saving  device ;  and  now  that  it  is  started,  thejr  expect  the 
preacher  or  preachers,  and  a  few  singing  and  praying  brethren 
and  sisters,  to  do  the  work.  They  look  on ;  discuss  the  propriety 
or  impropriety  of  what  others  do;  it  may  be,  enjoy  the  season 
somewhat,  and  at  the  close  are  perfectly  free  to  disparage  and 
condemn  the  whole,  if  unsuccessful,  but  if  successful,  quite 
ready  to  talk  of  what  a  glorious  meeting  we  have  had. 

Mark :  I  am  not  arguing  the  protracted  meeting  question ; 
much  might  be  said  on  either  side.  I  have  simply  instanced 
this  case  to  show  the  false  and  ruinous  principle  upon  which 
protracted  meetings  largely  proceed.  They  are  often,  though 
perhaps  not  intended  so  to  be,  really  and  actually  substitutes 
for  duty — substitutes  for  duties  slighted,  for  duties  neglected 
— substitutes  for  the  slower  and  more  laborious  and  flesh- 
mortifying  methods  which  God  has  marked  out,  and  to  which 
our  carnal  nature  is  averse — nigh-cuts  to  church  prosperity 
— labor-saving  machines  in  the  Kingdom  of  Jesus.  In  no  other 
way  can  we  reconcile  the  vast  number  of  protracted  meetings 
and  so-called  revivals  with  the  general  low  state  of  practical 
piet}^  in  the  land.  Whatever  protracted  meetings  might  be 
made — whatever  they  may  be  intended  to  be  made — in  most 
cases  they  are  made  substitutes  for  that  life  of  labor,  and  prajTer, 
and  self-denial,  and  godliness,  which  the  Bible  requires.  And 
hence,  we  find  churches  whose  members  are  notoriously  loose 
in  their  lives,  many  of  them  paying  their  debts  neither  to  God 
nor  to  man — spending  their  money  as  free  as  water,  it  may  be, 
for  worldly  lusts  and  pleasures,  while  doling  out  but  a  bare 
pittance  for  the  support  of  the  gospel  at  home  and  its  extension 
abroad;  and  yet,  they  are  able  to  get  up  a  rousing  revival 
(so-called)  every  twelve  months.  Let  protracted  meetings  be, 
as  they  should  always  be,  simply  times  of  special  prayer  and 
effort  for  that  zeal  and  love  which  are  ever  seeking  after  and 
improving  opportunities  of  service — chosen  seasons  for  extra 
toil  in  seed-sowing  and  in  reaping  on  the  part  of  those,  who, 
day  bjr  dajr,  sow  beside  all  waters — and  some  who  now  favor 
them  most  will  be  the  last  to  hold  them. 

"But  even  as  now  commonly  originated,  don't  they  do  some 
good?"  So  they  may.  But  so  often  as  they  are  made  the  occa- 
sion of  fostering  the  false  and  corrupt  principle  just  pointed 
out,  they  are  sure,  in  the  end,  to  do  more  harm  than  good. 
Pastors  and  churches  have  quite  largely  come  to  rely  on  these 
meetings  to  do  that  which  consistent  and  consecrated  piety, 
patient  toil,  and  importunate  prayer  alone,  under  God,  can 
accomplish,  and  the  consequence  is  the  churches  generally  have 


African  Baptist  Church.  349 

sunk  into  a  state  of  chronic  coldness  and  barrenness,  relieved 
only  by  these  annual,  or  biennial,  or  triennial  arousenients, 
whose  apparent  success  largely  tend  to  produce  and  perpetuate 
the  very  evils  under  which  we  are  already  groaning. 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  when  anything,  however  good 
in  itself,  comes  to  be  the  occasion  of  neglecting  something  vital 
and  indispensable,  it  thereby  and  therein  becomes  a  positive 
evil.  Commercial  fertilizers  are,  doubtless,  a  good  thing;  but 
when  they  are  relied  upon  to  the  neglect  of  a  thorough  prepara- 
tion and  cultivation  of  the  soil,  and  a  diligent  gathering  and 
application  of  home  fertilizers,  they  prove  a  curse.  Cotton  is  a 
good  crop,  but  when  it  is  relied  upon  to  the  neglect  of  all  other 
branches  of  husbandry,  it  surely  leads  to  poverty  and  final 
bankruptcy.  It  is  well  for  the  farmer  to  especially  bestir  him- 
self at  certain  seasons — to  put  forth  extra  and  protracted  efforts 
when  the  interests  of  his  business  require,  and  a  favorable 
opportunity  presents,  and  sometimes  even  to  call  in  his  neigh- 
bors to  help  him ;  but  he  who  sits  idly  down  the  most  of  the 
year,  and  expects  to  make  up  for  his  idleness  by  these  occasional 
efforts,  will  certainly  come  to  want.  Let  the  children  of  light 
learn  wisdom.  Whenever  and  wherever  protracted  meetings 
are  relied  upon,  as  they  now  largely  are,  to  supply  the  place  of 
daily  prayer,  and  labor,  and  self-denial,  and  faith,  and  patience, 
and  holy  living,  in  all  such  cases  will  they  be  curses  to  the 
churches. 

THE  EVANGELIST  SHORT  ROAD. 

2.  Next  is  the  resort  to  evangelists  or  revivalists.  A  church 
wants  to  make  headway  in  the  world— may  be  really  desires  a 
revival,  and  doubtless  does  need  one.  The  scripture  plan,  how- 
ever, requires  sins  confessed  and  sins  forsaken,  and  time  and 
talent  consecrated  to  the  Master.  Work  is  required,  and  much 
work,  and  patient  work ;  prayer  is  required,  and  earnest  and 
constant  prayer.  The  demand  is  too  great.  Even  a  respecta- 
ble protracted  meeting  requires  more  than  they  feel  willing  to 
undertake.  What  is  to  be  done?  Why,  send  off  and  get  some 
noted  revivalist  or  evangelist,  prepare  the  way  for  his  coming 
by  a  series  of  meetings,  but  expect  nothing,  really  pray  for  noth- 
ing, until  this  mortal  man  shall  come  and  take  matters  in 
charge,  and  "deliver  them  out  of  their  distresses." 

Now,  let  no  one  misapprehend  me.  There  can  be  no  kind  of 
objection  to  proper  persons  traveling  through  the  country, 
stirring  up  the  churches  and  preaching  the  gospel  to  the  masses ; 
it  is  scriptural.     But  the  special  need  now  is  for  some  one,  or 


350  History  of  the  First 


rather  a  good  many,  to  go  up  and  down  in  the  land,  calling 
upon  the  people  of  God  to  return  to  the  "  old  paths,"  and  to  do 
their  own  work,  yes,  and  their  own  praying,  too.  There  is  too 
much  reliance  upon  other  people's  labors  and  other  people's 
prayers — too  much  looking  to  man,  and  not  enough  looking  to 
God.  At  the  present  time,  in  many  places,  there  are  more 
earnest  desires  and  prayers  for  the  coming  of  some  of  the  great 
evangelists  of  the  day  than  for  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit ; 
and  manifestly  the  expectations  of  success  center  in  their' 
coming  rather  than  in  the  attendant  presence  and  power  of  the 
Spirit.  Am  I  mistaken?  Wherefore,  then,  such  elation  when 
their  speedy  coming  is  announced  ?  Wherefore  such  despond- 
ency when  their  coming  is  delayed?  Verily,  this  looking  to 
men,  and  running  after  men,  and  crying  unto  men,  is  not  only 
dishonoring  to  God,  but  even  to  our  own  christian  manhood. 
What !  is  not  Jehovah  our  God  as  well  as  theirs  ?  Have  we 
not  the  privilege  of  access  to  Him  as  well  as  they  ?  Is  it  possi- 
ble God  will  not  hear  us  as  readily  as  them?  And  will  He 
not  bless  our  labors  as  well  as  theirs?  And  will  He  not 
own  His  Word  when  spoken  by  us,  though  we  be  unknown 
to  fame,  as  well  as  when  spoken  by  these  whose  praise  fills 
the  land?  I  do  not  say  that  God  will  thus  do;  but  if  not, 
the  reason  is  to  be  found  in  our  and  our  church's  unfaithfulness, 
and  indolence,  and  worldliness,  and  unbelief;  and  it  is  vain  to 
think  to  escape  the  legitimate  consequences  of  our  sins  and 
failures  by  flying  to  others,  however  good  or  great,  or  even 
successful  they  may  be.  Yes,  these  evangelists  may  all  be 
godly  men,  and,  for  aught  I  know,  may  be  very  successful  in 
leading  sinners  to  Christ,  as  doubtless  some  of  them  have  been ; 
but  those  pastors  and  churches  who  sinfully  neglect  their  own 
work,  and  then  expect  to  evade  the  just  consequences  of  their 
shortcoming  by  calling  in  the  aid  of  men,  thus  virtual^  hoping 
to  circumvent  the  Almighty,  sooner  or  later  will  find  out  their 
mistake. 

THE  NEW  PREACHER  SHORT  ROAD. 

3.  The  same  general  desire  to  abridge  labor  and  self-denial 
has  opened  up  the  new  preacher  short  road.  The  affairs  of  a 
church  are  unsatisfactory,  and  perhaps  they  ought  to  be ;  but, 
instead  of  rallying  around  the  pastor  they  have,  and  going  to 
work  themselves,  they  set  longing  eyes  upon  some  new  man, 
whose  past  reputation  for  building  up  churches  excites  the  hope 
of  similar  results  with  them.  Some  way  or  other,  no  matter 
how,  the  old  preacher  is  gotten  rid  of,  and  the  new  one  called. 
For  a  little  while  everything  moves  on  swimmingly ;  their  hopes 


African  Baptist  Church.  351 

are  bright ;  at  last  they  have  got  the  man  they  were  so  long 
wanting — i.  e.,  the  man  to  do  his  work  and  theirs  too.  In 
another  little  while,  and  a  change  comes  over  the  spirit  of  their 
dream.  They  find  their  condition  essentially  the  same — it  may 
be,  worse — it  is  reasonable  that  it  should  go  from  bad  to  worse. 
They  soon  conclude  it  is  the  preacher's  fault — they  mistook  the 
man,  or  he  has  run  his  course.  And  soon  again  they  are  with- 
out a  pastor,  and  still  again  are  they  in  search  of  the  man  who 
shall  be  able  to  do  what  God  never  meant  to  be  done,  and  still 
are  destined  to  disappointment. 

SHORT  PASTORATES. 

But  there  is  another  view  to  take  of  short  pastorates,  which, 
though  not  exactly  in  the  line  of  the  present  thought,  yet  merits 
a  passing  notice.  It  often  happens  that  the  pastor  himself, 
anxious  for  quick  returns,  or  impatient  of  hard  work,  is  un- 
willing to  stay  where  he  is.  Permanent  church  prosperity  is 
largely  dependent  upon  permanent  pastorates.  As  a  general 
thing,  however,  long  pastorates  require  of  a  minister  much 
patient  and  self-denying  toil — brain  work,  heart  work,  life  work. 
Many  are  not  disposed  to  honor  the  draft,  and  so  they  look  out 
for  other  fields,  more  fertile,  it  may  be,  or  more  easily  culti- 
vated; at  any  rate,  fields  where  the  well-worn  plow-shares  of 
many  furrows  may  still  do  creditable  service;  yes,  and  where 
the  same  system  of  superficial  tillage  will  in  turn  be  followed 
by  the  same  results.  The  condition  of  many  of  our  churches  is 
remarkably  like  that  of  many  of  our  farms,  and  the  same  desire 
for  easy  methods  and  quick  returns  is  largely  responsible  in 
both  cases. 

ISTow  I  do  not  say  that  ministers  should  not  sometimes  change 
their  fields  of  labor — doubtless  they  ought;  but  I  will  say, 
they  should  never  do  so  simply  because  they  want  to  escape 
hard  work  or  patient  waiting.  And  I  do  not  say  that  churches 
should  not  sometimes  seek  a  change  of  pastors,  but  certainly 
they  should  not  do  so  under  the  vain  hope  of  finding  a  man 
whose  piety,  or  zeal,  or  eloquence,  or  other  qualification  shall 
absolve  them  from  the  duty  or  the  necessity  of  earnest  conse- 
cration to  the  Master's  service. 

And  here  is  a  good  place  to  call  attention  to  a  wide-spread 
evil.  Our  churches,  whether  they  retain  the  same  pastor  from 
year  to  year,  or  frequently  change  pastors,  still,  all  alike,  are 
depending  too  much  on  their  pastors  to  do  whatever  is  neces- 
sary to  bring  prosperity  to  Zion.  It  is  not  exaggeration  to  say, 
that  as  the  "eyes  of  servants  look  to  the  hand  of  their  masters, 


352  History  of  the  First 


and  as  the  eyes  of  a  maiden  to  the  hand  of  her  mistress,"  so 
quite  generally  the  eyes  of  churches  are  directed  to  their  pas- 
tors. They  are  largely  looking  to  these  pastors  not  only  to  do 
their  (the  churches')  work,  but  even  that  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
There  is  a  great  and  calamitous  mistake  just  here.  The  churches 
know  better.  They  know  that  Paul  may  plant  and  Apollos 
may  water,  but  that  God  alone  can  give  the  increase.  And  yet, 
practically  and  actually,  they  are  looking  to  their  pastors  for 
the  increase.  My  brother  in  Christ,  esteem  your  pastor ;  esteem 
him  highly ;  esteem  him  very  highly  in  love  for  his  work's  sake, 
this  is  the  divine  command ;  but  when  you  place  such  reliance 
upon  him — when  you  look  to  him  to  do  your  work,  and  even 
that  of  the  Spirit  too,  you  lay  on  him  a  load  of  responsibility 
that  may  well. crush  him  to  the  earth.  And  it  is  not,  perhaps, 
too  much  to  say  that  the  consciousness  that  the  churches  are 
thus  looking  to  their  pastors,  and  leaning  upon  their  pastors, 
and  expecting  success  at  their  hands,  is  even  now  pressing  the 
very  life  out  of  many  a  devoted  pastor  in  the  land.  He  feels 
his  utter  inability  to  meet  the  demand  upon  him  and  is  sinking 
beneath  the  burden.    O  brethren,  look  to  God — trust  in  Him. 

THE  WIDE  DOOR  OR  LOW  GAP  DEVICE. 

4.  It  only  remains  to  notice  the  wide  door  or  low  gap  short- 
road.  This  is  the  final  nigh-cut  towards  which  all  the  others 
incline,  and  falling  short  of  which  they  largely  fall  short  of 
fatal  injury.  The  others,  when  not  pursued  as  nigh-cuts,  may 
not  be  in  all  respects  evil ;  but  this  is  evil  in  itself — it  is  evil, 
and  only  evil,  and  that  continually.  A  church  longs  for  the 
prestige  of  numbers — the  eclat  of  large  and  frequent  additions. 
Great  is  the  pressure  upon  the  pastor  for  this  proof  of  his  suc- 
cess, and  his  heart,  quite  likely,  beats  in  unison  with  the  hearts 
of  his  people;  and  it  is  right  to  want  to  see  "much  people 
added  to  Lord."  O  that  we  all  were  ten-fold  more  anxious  for 
this !  But  God  may  not  see  fit  to  give  immediate  success  in 
the  way  of  additions.  More  generally,  perhaps,  pastor  and 
people  have  not  been  willing  to  live,  and  labor,  and  pray,  and 
trust,  and  so  come  within  the  pale  of  the  divine  promises.  But 
still  they  want  success,  and  that  means  numbers.  They  con- 
clude to  make  special  effort,  and  that  means  a  protracted 
meeting.  They  send  for  some  noted  revivalist,  or  perhaps,  the 
pastor  gets  to  help  him  some  warm  revival  preachers  from 
around.  The  meeting  begins,  and  the  meeting  goes  on,  and  a 
goodly  number  profess  a  hope  and  knock  for  admission  into  the 
church.     Now  mind  you,  the  desire  for  members  is  still  strong. 


African  Baptist   Church.  353 

Numbers  are  still  the  adjudged  proof  aud  measure  of  success. 
The  pressure  upou  the  pastor  is  still  unabated,  and  his  heart 
still  yearns  to  gratify  the  longings  of  his  people.  Besides  all 
hearts  are  now  warm  and  generous — love  is  glowing,  and  feelings 
generally  have  reached  melting  heat.  Is  it  strange,  then,  that 
under  the  circumstances,  the  procrustean  rigidity  of  the  old 
standard  of  admission  should  be  relaxed,  and  a  lower  gap,  or  a 
wider  door  offer  easy  ingress  to  the  thronging  applicants? 
"  What!  give  up  a  converted  church -membership !  "  "Ono; 
hold  on  to  that.  But,  you  inveterate  old  fossil,  don't  let  us 
put  up  the  fence  so  high  as  to  keep  out  Christ's  lambs.  Besides, 
you  need  not  expect  everybody  to  be  converted.  Was  not 
Judas  one  of  the  twelve?  Did  not  unbelievers  creep  in,  even 
in  the  apostles'  day?  Does  not  the  gospel  net  gather  of  every 
kind  ?  Don't  be  so  very  particular.  Don't  pry  so  closely  into 
the  experiences  of  the  professed  converts.  Don't  expect  babes 
in  Christ  to  be  old  theologians.*  Do  not  count  an  applicant  not 
converted  until  he  gives  some  proof  that  he  is ;  but  rather  count 
that  he  is  converted  until  he  proves  that  he  is  not.  And  then, 
do  not  require  an  intelligent  and  spontaneous  profession  of 
faith  in  the  atoning  sacrifice  of  Christ,  as  evidence  of  a  changed 
heart;  but  reverse  the  order,  and  accept  the  profession  of  a 
change  of  heart  as  proof  of  the  possession  of  faith.  Finally, 
remember  that  people  are  timid,  and  if  they  can  not  tell  a  con- 
sistent and  satisfactory  experience  help  them  out  a  little,  or 
may  be,  tell  all  for  them  by  asking  questions  which  suggest  the 
proper  answer,  t  The  immediate  results  of  all  this  are  seen  in 
the  vast  and  rapidly  increasing  array  of  formal  professors, 
whose  influence  rests  as  a  fearful  incubus  upon  the  life  and 
power  of  the  churches.  The  final  results  eternity  alone  can 
reveal. 

Now  all  these  devices,  and  others  which  might  be  mentioned, 
proceed  from  the  same  evil  root,  namely,  an  eagerness  for  suc- 
cess which  centers  more  in  self  than  in  God,  and  a  consequent 
dissatisfaction  with  God's  plan  and  God's  time,  and  the  success 
which  God  sees  fit  to  give.  Success  is  wanted,  and  success  we 
feel  we  must  have ;  but  we  are  not  willing  to  work  for  it,  we 
are  not  willing  to  wait  for  it. 

Such  unworthy  feelings  and  motives  are  referred  to  in  the 
preceding  discussion,  that  careless  thinkers  may  be  disposed  to 

*This  is  no  fancy  sketch.  These  very  things  have  been  said  to  me  by  pleaders 
lor  more  laxity,  and  in  most  cases,  in  these  very  words. 

fif  pastors  would  require  applicants  to  tell  their  own  experiences,  and  then 
require,  in  these  experiences,  reasonable  proof  of  an  intelligent  apprehension  of 
faith  in  Christ  crucified  or  as  the  way  of  life  and  trust  in  Him,  improper  persons 
would  seldom  come  in. 


35 4  History  of  the  First 


question  their  existence  in  the  hearts  of  God's  people.  Well, 
God's  people  ought  to  be  free  from  such,  but,  unfortunately, 
many  of  them  are  not.  Besides,  none  are  without  sin ;  and  sin 
is  essentially  selfish  and  deceitful,  even  though  found  in  the 
heart  of  a  christian.  A  cursory  examination  will  not  always 
reveal  to  one's  own  consciousness  the  motives  which  determine 
conduct.  Let  the  best  man  among  us  actually  explore  the 
recesses  of  his  heart,  and  he  will  there  find  principles  and  mo- 
tives just  as  reprehensible  as  those  here  condemned.  And  a 
part  of  our  business  in  this  life  is  to  drag  out  into  the  light 
these  hidden  abominations,  whether  found  in  ourselves  or  in 
others,  and  hew  them  in  pieces  before  the  Lord.  So  have  I 
endeavored  to  do. 

CONCLUSION. 

1.  How  vain  the  hope  of  finding  an  easy  way  to  church  pros- 
perity !  The  ingenuity  of  man  has  done  much,  but  it  can  not 
override  a  divine  law.  Man's  wisdom  is  displayed  in  discover- 
ing God's  laws,  and  in  adapting  himself  to  them.  This  is  the 
secret  of  the  success  and  usefulness  of  all  the  great  discoveries 
and  inventions  of  these  latter  days.  But  there  has  not  yet  been 
discovered,  nor  will  ever  be,  an  easy  road  to  heaven,  or  an  easy 
road  to  church  prosperity.  The  reason  is  found  in  the  fact  that 
the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God ;  and  so,  that  which 
accords  with  it  must,  for  that  very  reason,  be  opposed  to  Him. 
Accordingly,  when  we  seek  for  flesh-pleasing  methods  in  serv- 
ing God,  we  seek  for  an  impossibility.  Deny  thyself,  and  take 
thy  cross,  are  the  inexorable  terms  of  discipleship.  And  so  long 
as  self-denial,  cross- bearing,  the  crucifixion  of  the  flesh  with  its 
affections  and  lusts  enter  into  christian  life  and  christian  dutjT, 
just  so  long  will  it  be  vain  to  expect  to  achieve  purely  spiritual 
successes  and  yet  listen  to  the  demands  of  the  flesh.  These 
things  are  antipodal,  and  the  endeavor  to  bring  them  together 
is  worse  than  futile.  It  is  but  the  old,  oft-repeated,  century- 
stricken,  but  hopeless  and  ruinous,  attempt  to  combine  the  ser- 
vice of  Mammon  with  the  service  of  God. 

2.  How  vain  the  hope  of  finding  a  shorter  way  to  church 
prosperity  than  that  which  God  has  marked  out !  It  is  a  true 
proverb,  that  the  longest  way  round  is  often  the  shortest  way 
through.  Even  in  this  day  of  steam  and  lightning,  we  still 
sometimes  see  that  "slow  and  sure"  go  hand  in  hand.  Quick 
results  are  quite  often  as  worthless  as  quick.  God  seems  to 
have  intended  to  teach  us  this  truth  in  nature.  The  insect 
comes  to  maturity  in  a  few  days,  while  man,  the  noblest  work 


African  Baptist   Church. 


of  the  Creator,  requires  long  years.  The  mushroom  springs  up 
in  a  night,  while  the  lordly  and  valuable  oak  grows  for  cen- 
turies. But  let  nature's  lessons  be  what  they  may,  God's  plan 
for  bringing  prosperity  to  His  churches  is  fixed,  and  we  might 
as  well  undertake  to  heave  the  sun  from  its  place  in  the  sky,  as 
to  reach  real  church  prosperity  in  any  other  way. 

3.  Why  can  we  not  be  content  to  work  for  God  in  His  oicn 
way?  Is  not  His  way  the  best  way?  Are  we  ashamed  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ?  Is  the  simple,  unmethod-trammeled  preach- 
ing of  the  cross  no  longer  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  ? 
Has  this  fast,  progressive  age.  outrun  the  divine  wisdom? 
"  Where  is  the  wise?  where  is  the  scribe?  where  is  the  disputer 
of  this  world  ?  Hath  not  God  made  foolish  the  wisdom  of  this 
world?"  Yes,  verity;  and  quite  signally  do  the  failures  of 
latter-day  wisdom  attest  the  fact.  Rest  assured,  my  brethren, 
it  still  pleases  God  "by  the  foolishness  of  preaching  to  save 
them  that  believe."* 

4.  And  why  can  we  not  be  content  to  abide  God's  time  to 
reap  the  fruit  of  our  labors  ?  Why  this  restless,  feverish  impa- 
tience for  results?  Can  we  not  trust  God  to  fulfill  His  own 
promises  ?  Is  the  prosperity  of  the  cause  dearer  to  us  than  to 
him?  Are  we  more  jealous  of  His  honor  and  more  concerned 
for  His  glory  than  Himself?  Let  us  not  deceive  ourselves. 
This  demand  for  quick  results  is  not  all  zeal  for  God.  It  is 
rather  a  selfish  impatience  of  the  very  toil,  and  sacrifice,  and 
self-denial  which  he  requires,  and  which  we  want  to  escape. 
Zeal  for  God  ?  Nay,  nay,  but  for  ourselves.  A  siugle  eye  to 
His  glory  would  make  us  choose  His  way  and  abide  His  time. 

5.  How  dare  we  not  be  content  to  work  for  God  in  His  own 
way,  and  then  leave  the  issue  with  Him  ?  Do  we  not  belong 
to  Him?  Has  He  not  the  right  to  command  our  obe- 
dience? If  He  should  see  fit  to  require  us  to  toil  all  our  days, 
and  still  see  no  fruit,  is  that  our  business?  We  are  His — the 
kingdom  is  His — the  power  is  His — the  glory  is  His — all  is  His. 
Who  are  we  that  we  should  dare  to  be  dissatisfied  with  what 
pleases  Him  ? 

6.  These  nigh-cuts  do  generally  give  apparent  success.  But 
when  we  contentedly  go  on  in  them,  neglecting  the  heaven- 
appointed  highway,  it  would  seem  that  in  realizing  apparent 

*Not  long  before  his  death,  Dr.  R.  Fuller,  of  Baltimore,  wrote  thus:  *  *  * 
".Some  evangelist  is  called  in  to  arouse  the  slumbering  energies  of  the  church; 
and  then  'many  are  added.'  But  alas!  how  few  of  these  are  truly  converted, 
the  melancholy  history  of  six  succeeding  months  most  sadly  testifies,  More- 
over, evangelists  would  soon  forsake  their  calling  if  they  were  required,  like  the 
apostles,  to  rely  upon  their  sermons.  We  rejoice  in  the  good  they  accomplish, 
but  the  measures  they  adopt  are  an  acknowledgment  that  the  'foolishness  of 
preaching'  can  no  longer  avail  for  the  conversion  of  souls  to  God." 


S56  History  of  the  First 


success  we  attain  that  which  we  are  really  seeking  after,  and 
like  the  hypocrites  of  old,  have  our  reward.  But  apparent 
success  is  only  apparent  after  all.  It  may  deceive  us  and  flat- 
ter our  vanity — it  may  deceive  the  world  and  give  us  their 
applause,  but  sooner  or  later  its  real  character  will  be  developed. 
It  contains  the  elements  of  its  own  overthrow.  The  higher  and 
grander  the  tower,  the  more  certain  its  fall,  if  it  be  not  well 
founded  and  well  built.  And  the  more  a  church  has  of  merely 
apparent  success,  only  the  more  certain,  the  more  signal,  and  the 
more  disastrous  its  final  shame  and  ruin. 

7.  If  we  can  not  have  real  success  let  us  have  none.  The 
semblance  of  success  attained,  often  so  deceives  and  satisfies  as 
to  prevent  our  seeking  after  that  which  is  real.  But  real  suc- 
cess comes  from  God,  and  from  Him  alone,  and  must  therefore 
be  sought  in  His  way. 

My  brother,  my  christian  brother,  whoever  you  be,  do  you 
want  success  ?  Do  you  want  real  success  ?  Do  you  want  real 
and  permanent  success — a  success  that  will  abide  the  winds 
and  floods  of  time,  and  the  fires  of  the  great  day  ?  Wait  on 
the  Lord  and  keep  His  way,  and  He  shall  exalt  thee  to  inherit 
the  land.     Amen. 


THE  DUTY  OF  PARENTS  TO  SUNDAY  SCHOOLS. 

BY  PROF.  JAMES  ROSS,  PRINCIPAL  OF  BAST  BROAD  STREET  SCHOOL, 
SAVANNAH,  GA. 

Mr.  President ,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen : 

On  such  an  occasion  as  this,  where  so  many  parents  are  pres- 
ent, I  should  not  judge  it  out  of  place  to  speak  to  you  something 
concerning  your  relation  to  the  Sunday  school.  There  is  no 
greater  institution  in  modern  times  than  the  Sunday  school, 
and  more  hearts  are  being  educated  within  its  consecrated  walls 
than  anywhere  else.  It  is  the  most  God-like  institution  we 
have  and  is  the  very  embodiment  of  law,  having  a  profound 
respect  for  morality  and  religion  without  which  freedom  would 
have  no  lasting  foundation  and  no  certain  protection. 

The  Sabbath  should  be  a  day  of  rest  from  worldly  cares  and 
pleasures ;  a  day  for  the  study  of  God's  Word ;  for  the  discus- 
sion of  the  highest  themes  that  concern  immortal  souls.  On 
every  side  we  observe  disaster,  discomfort,  sorrow  and  death, 
in  many  cases  properly  attributable  to  the  botching  of  life  by 
not  having  sufficient  truth  instilled  into  the  tender  ones'  minds 
to  guide  them  along  the  path  of  rectitude. 


African  Baptist   Church.  357 

We  were  placed  here,  just  a  little  lower  than  the  angels,  to 
live  a  life  useful  to  God  and  to  man.  How  much  of  that 
life  we  live  depends  largely  upon  how  much  we  know  about 
life  and  how  much  of  it  we  execute.  "  He  most  lives  who  acts 
best,  feels  noblest,  and  that  life  is  the  longest  which  answers 
life's  purposes  best." 

More  interest  in  your  children's  welfare  will  make  less  candi- 
dates for  the  prisons.  Teach  your  children  more  studious  hab- 
its, in  attending  Sunday  school,  by  more  deeds  than  words,  and 
they  will  honor  you  in  old  age  and  heartily  indorse  your  judi- 
cious management.  Urge  upon  them  the  imperative  necessity 
of  punctuality,  diligence  in  pursuit  of  the  great  riches  found  in 
God's  Word,  and  they  will  reflect  much  credit  upon  you,  con- 
gratulating you  for  building  lasting  monuments  for  future  gen- 
erations as  criterions  by  which  to  test  the  abstract  excellence  of 
all  pure  Christianity. 

Your  interest  in  the  Sunday  school  will  encourage  the 
teacher  as  a  gospel  herald,  tendering  good  tidings  of  great  joy  to 
all  who  will  receive  the  grand  blessings  embodied  in  their  mes- 
sage. I  shall  not  presume  it  out  of  place,  just  here,  to  say  that 
too  many  grown  persons  think  they  are  too  old  to  improve,  so 
they  draw  themselves  within  their  encrusted  shells  and  pre- 
sume their  work  is  done.  Many  excuses  can  be  found  or 
framed  for  negligence,  but  remember  this  is  an  age  of  senti- 
mentality, and  there  are  people  who  would  attempt  to  render 
an  excuse  even  for  Judas,  whose  name  has  been  a  synonym  of 
infamy.  Have  you  thought  how  cheerful  and  happy  is  old  age 
to  him  who  has  kept  life  green  and  realized  the  importance  of 
his  mission  of  usefulness  until  God  called  him  beyond  this  veil 
of  tears? 

Let  us  be  not  careless  about  our  duty  any  more,  let  us 
breathe  not  the  malarial  air  from  the  surrounding  fields,  let  not 
the  deadly  sewerage  gas  come  into  our  homes  by  modem  con- 
veniences, let  our  children  no  longer  be  dragged  about  the 
streets  on  Sundays  by  some  one  they  call  friend,  but  let  us 
manage  our  own  affairs  while  on  earth  we  stay.  Some  one  has 
said,  "If  the  effects  of  carelessness  came  upon  us  like  a  deadly 
serpent  we  could  avoid  it,  if,  like  the  north  wind,  we  could 
shelter  ourselves  from  it,  but  it's  footsteps  unheard  creep  silently 
and  cautiously  upon  us,  and,  ere  we  are  aware  of  the  danger,  our 
whole  system  has  been  poisoned,"  making  us  unfit  to  live  in 
this  world  or  the  world  to  come — a  sight  only  to  make  hell 
laugh  and  heaven  weep. 


358  History  of  the  First 


The  church  has  now  largely  over  5,000  members.  This  makes 
it  the  largest  negro  church  in  the  United  States,  and  in  all 
probability,  in  the  world.  It  is  an  interesting,  orderly,  intelli- 
gent church.  It  is  perfectly  devoted  to  its  pastor.  The  church 
never  denies  him  a  request.  Whatever  he  intimates  that  he 
wants  he  can  get  it,  regardless  of  the  cost.  His  influence  over 
the  members  is  simply  amazing.  The  church,  however,  is  not 
more  devoted  to  him  than  he  is  to  them.  They  will  make  mu- 
tual sacrifices  for  each  other.  This  is  just  as  it  should  be. 
There  never  was  more  unanimity  of  opinion  and  concert  of 
action  in  any  church  than  that  which  characterized  this  church 
ia  its  endeavors  to  extend  its  house  of  worship.  In  revivals 
the  church  comes  together  in  such  a  christian-like  manner  that 
the  influence  upon  sinners  is  wonderful.  The  church  is  very 
polite  to  strangers  and  everybody  visiting  the  church  is  made  to 
feel  at  home.  The  choir  is  good,  and  visitors  are  generally 
charmed  by  their  singing.  The  Sunday  school  is  without  a 
single  exception  the  largest  and  best  in  the  State.  Most  of  the 
most  substantial  members  of  the  church  grew  up  in  the  Sunday 
school.  The  church  is  justly  proud  of  her  Sunday  school  and 
her  noble  corps  of  humble  christian  teachers. 

This  church,  notwithstanding  her  great  troubles,  has  been  as 
a  city  that  is  set  on  a  hill,  which  cannot  be  hid.  Her  good 
works  have  been  witnessed  far  and  wide  and  many  thousands 
have  been  led  to  a  saving  acquaintance  with  the  gospel  of  the 
Son  of  God.  For  one  hundred  years  she  has  been  battling  with 
sin  and  Satan,  winning  glorious  victories  all  the  way.  Not- 
withstanding all  the  bitterness  she  has  been  called  to  taste,  she 
has  scattered  seeds  of  kindness  for  the  reaping  by  and  by.  She 
has  always  conquered  her  enemies  and  heaped  coals  of  fire 
upon  their  heads.  God  has  caused  her  to  pass  under  the  rod 
because  He  loved  her.  He  has  made  her  go  through  the  fire 
to  purify  her  and  to  refine  her  as  gold  is  refined.  She  has  put 
her  trust  in  Jesus  and  He  has  never  allowed  her  to  be  con- 
founded. That  church  which  has  leaned  on  Christ  for  repose 
He  will  never  desert  to  her  foes.  That  church,  though  all  hell 
should  endeavor  to  shake,  He  will  never  forsake.  Happy  is 
that  people  whose  God  is  the  Lord. 

This  church  has  organized  many  branches.  In  fact,  all  of 
the  churches  in  this  part  of  Georgia  must  trace  their  origin 
back  to  this  church.  She  is  their  legitimate  mother.  Her  chil- 
dren, many  of  them,  have  done  noble  work,  but  they  have  not 
equalled  the  old  lady.  Her  strength  and  influence  have  in- 
creased with  her  age.  She  has  constantly  contended  "for  the 
faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints."     She  has  walked  alone  when 


African  Baptist  Church.  359 

she  felt  that  she  was  not  in  company  with  the  right.  When 
others  would  walk  with  her  in  the  same  happy  road  she  has 
rejoiced. 

This  church  has  buried  four  as  noble  men  as  pastors  as  ever 
graced  the  pulpit ;  some  as  noble  men  as  deacons  as  have  ever 
honored  the  christian  church,  and  some  as  grand  men  and 
women  as  ever  lived.  The  writer  has  not  the  power  to  do  jus- 
tice to  the  history  of  this  grand  old  church.  No  church  has 
been  more  prosperous  than  this  church.  Like  a  mighty  army 
she  has  gone  forth,  locking  the  powers  of  darkness  to  her  char- 
iot wheels  and  conquering  in  the  name  and  strength  of  Christ 
her  Lord. 

It  would  require  volumes  to  do  justice  to  the  history  of  this 
church  for  the  last  one  hundred  years.  Most  of  these  years 
were  spent  in  the  dark  days  of  slavery  when  the  right  to  wor- 
ship God  after  the  dictates  of  the  gospel  was  denied  them. 
They  preached  a  gospel  of  freedom  on  Sunday  which  they 
dared  not  attempt  to  practice  on  Monday.  Yet  the  church  was 
signally  blessed  of  God.  The  members  of  the  church  were 
man's  slaves  but  God's  freemen.  It  does  appear  that  the  ser- 
vices which  were  held  under  fear  were  much  sweeter  then  than 
now.  The  sermons  were  much  more  earnest  and  tender,  the 
pra}-ers  were  clothed  in  simpler  language,  and  were  uttered 
with  more  zeal,  and  fervor,  and  pathos,  and  the  singing  was 
less  artificial  and  was  more  of  the  character  of  humble  praise 
in  which  the  soul  soared  in  unspeakable  gratitude  in  search  of 
its  God.  Those  who  enjoyed  the  services  of  those  days  might 
crave  a  return  of  service  but  for  the  horrors  of  slavery  which 
characterized  those  days. 

The  church,  however,  is  more  cultured,  and  there  is  more 
intellectuality  in  the  church  now  than  then,  but,  perhaps  less 
spirituality.  The  people  of  the  long  ago  knew  no  better  than 
to  serve  God  with  all  their  hearts.  That  ignorance  is  bliss 
which  knows  no  hypocrisy.  That  weakness  is  strength  which 
can  not  do  wrong  nor  mistreat  a  brother,  but  simply  lean  upon 
God.  The  church  is  wonderfully  successful.  When  her  toils 
on  earth  are  over  and  she  shall  have  landed  upon  the  glittering 
shores  of  the  heavenly  Canaan,  then  sweet  and  glorious  will  the 
harvest  be. 

She  shall  not  regret  her  sufferings  here  when  she  shall  be 
invited  to  lay  her  burdens  down  and  at  Jesus"  side  sit  down  to 
receive  palms  of  victory  and  crowns  of  glory.  Then  shall  she 
sit  forever  around  the  throne  of  God,  and  basking  in  the  sun- 
light of  eternal  peace  smile  over  the  troubles  through  which  she 
has  come,  and  count  them  as  nothing  compared  with  infinite 


360  History  of  the  First 


rest  in  heaven.  There  is  a  grand  future  for  the  church  here,  and 
a  more  pleasing,  holy,  charming  and  glorious  inheritance  on  the 
ever  green  shores,  "where  no  storms  ever  beat  on  the  glittering 
strand  while  the  years  of  eternity  roll." 

The  glorious  time  is  swiftly  rolling  on  when  the  church  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  shall  be  the  glory  of  all  the  earth ;  when 
from  the  least  to  the  greatest  shall  hear  of  Jesus  the  mighty  to 
save.  This  must  be  accomplished  through  the  church  as  his 
instrumentality.  God  grant  the  church  grace  and  strength  to 
do  His  will  in  the  world  in  such  a  manner  as  to  honor  His  holy 
name,  for  Jesus'  sake.     Amen. 


I 


RARE  BOOK 
COLLECTION 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT 

CHAPEL  HILL 


BX6480 
.S45 
F5 
1888 


